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!

FO: Printed Silk Cardigan June 18, 2008

Pattern: Printed Silk Cardigan, Interweave Knits Spring 2008

Yarn: Frog Tree Pima Silk, a little over 7 skeins

Needles: US 2 and 1

Notes: I think it’s official that the Spring IK was my favorite issue ever.  This is my fourth knit from that issue, including the ill-fated hexacomb, and I plan to make several more eventually.  When the preview came out this was immediately my favorite sweater.  It ended up fourth in line because I really wanted to find the perfect yarn.  I ended up using the same yarn that Lolly used, and it really was nearly perfect for the pattern.

I knit the sweater at a slightly tighter gauge to end up with a 32″ bust, with the idea that it would stretch out eventually.  I’m very pleased with the fit, which is perfect after my half hearted blocking job (my blocking board is in storage, so it’s still a bit wrinkly and that one edge wants to curl.)  I added a turned hem so that the bottom wouldn’t roll, and I think it goes nicely with the rest of the sweater.  Upon reflection, the plain edge might not have been bad, but I’m happy.  I did my first tubular cast on for the sleeves, and while it was a major pain I love how they look.

The twisted stitches nearly killed me - this yarn is pretty splitty, so it was slow going.  I love how they look, but all things considered I think I would rather work with lace.  I used a lot less yarn than the pattern called for, probably a little bit because of my gauge, but I don’t think knitting to gauge on the 34″ size would have used up that much yarn either.  Maybe it’s the substitution I used, but I ended up wtih almost 2 balls left over, and I bought less yarn than called for in the pattern to start with.

I love the finished sweater - it’s an unusual color for me, and out of all my handknits it may look the most like something you would get in a store.  The pattern itself has lots of little touches that really give it a professional appearance.  It’s lightweight and perfect for every season except the dead of winter.  I definitely recommend giving this knit a try!

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!

Holding patterns June 9, 2008

I’ve said it before and I’ve said it again… knitting has not taught me patience the way that everyone assumes.  For instance, it seems as though the printed silk cardi is very slow to knit.

I’ve knit the left front, one sleeve, and half the back, so I’m about 50% done, although I’m just starting the diamond pattern on the back, and it seems like that’s going to be very slow.  I do really love the way it’s coming out though, so I will try to have more patience!  All that 1×1 rib on the sleeves really killed my wrists, although they are very nicely fitted!

I cannot work on the diamond pattern at work (too busy) so I started a pair of socks in plain stockinette.

This is Yarn Pirate sock in the Neopolitan colorway.  I bought it ages ago, but I was convinced that it would pool.  Fortunately it’s striping nicely, so I should have pretty ice cream colored socks!

This morning I sat with Leon for an hour at the coffee shop (we were outside) while the house was being shown.  There is another showing tonight, but I will be at work, so that’s Marc’s responsibility!   I’m trying to ignore negative feedback that isn’t helpful.  Our condo is laid out like a shotgun house, (I love the most of the photos on the wiki article are from Louisville!) which means that one of the bedrooms is a walkthrough from the front door.  This is a challenge, but it isn’t something we can change.

Patience again… I need some.  I know I’m a little crazy here, but if I am anything it’s a worrier!

Thanks for the feedback on my color choices!  I want to be clear that there are neutrals in the house, grays and various browns that you can see in the big fan of colors, I just didn’t photo them because they aren’t as interesting!  I’m still undecided on the chairs, but I’m waiting because I want to refinish the table they go with (it has multiple white spots, I think the finish was not so good.)

Color! June 4, 2008

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may have noticed my obsession with color. And not just any colors - bright saturated colors. I generally only like neutrals insofar as they make the brights pop (chocolate brown is the exception, and lately I do like gray a bit.) Forced out of my house yesterday by a house showing, I went to the knit nook and spent the yarn credit I had saved up.

This is Mountain Colors bearfoot to make Tempest from Knitty.  The colors in real life (magenta and lupine) are less vibrant, but I turned up the contrast to show the pretty olive greens in with the purple.  I love bearfoot, but I don’t like it as much for socks (too fuzzy.)  It’s a little heavier than the yarn called for, but it should work out - I won’t be getting to this til close to fall anyway, so I’d like a warmer version.  Lupine will be the main color with magenta as the contrast.  I hope it looks nice and not insane!

Today, driven again by my love of color, I went to the paint store and picked up sample cards for the new house (the house is pretty much entirely pink right now, and that is going to have to go.)

Colors are all by Benjamin Moore, because I love their aura paint.

I love the kitchen color (the bottom color here.)  I wanted a bright kelly green, and I think this will work!

The entryway and dining room will share these colors - gray in the dining room and one of the two teals below the chair rail in the entry.

I want a dramatic color for the music room, so I thought about dark raspberry.  This room also has a chair rail, and it will be painted white on the bottom.  I am torn between the two top colors on the left card, and the middle color on the middle card.

One of these colors will be the bathroom and one the bedroom.  The rooms are not attached, I just like blue-greens.  I’m leaning towards the aqua for the bedroom and waterfall in the bath, but I’m not sure.  I have a friend who painted her bedroom the aqua shade and it’s gorgeous!

I want purple in my craft room (which is also the guest room.)  My favorite is the dark lilac, the top shade on the far right.  I prefer my purples with some gray mixed in to make them less grapey.

The living room (which is upstairs) and hallways upstairs will be nice neutral chocolatey browns, so that you aren’t going straight from one color to another.  Fortunately, in addition to loving color I love to paint, so I will take this one room at a time.  Anyway, we won’t be in the house for at least a month, probably a bit longer, so I have time to plan (and I love to plan, it keeps me from going crazy with worry!)

In the name of avoiding the “what if something happens” worry I am also planning on recovering my dining room chairs.

I like the table set well enough, but this fabric is deadly dull.  I’ve wanted to change it since we bought it (2 years ago!) but I didn’t want it to clash with our next house.  Our current dining room has red walls, which I have slowly grown to dislike (you have really decorate around the red, and it makes the pretty cherry table look bland.)  I’m going to go with gray in the new house.  That rug is also going, since it’s nearly completely worn out, so I don’t have to worry about matching it.

I love Amy Butler fabric, and I’m thinking about using this pattern for the chairs, although I’m undecided about color as yet.

What do you think?

Mega post: Thoughts on being green and a book review June 3, 2008

I’ve completed the left front of my Printed Silk Cardigan. I love this pattern! The diamond pattern took longer than I thought, but it’s really an enjoyable knit so far!

Life feels a bit more normal this week. We had an open house on Sunday, and it went well, although I do find some of the feedback we heard (through our agent) strange. I get the impression that some people want to live in this area for the convenience of being near everything, but aren’t aware of what it’s really like to live in an historic building. Plaster walls aren’t perfectly flat, you know? Everything isn’t square, and yes the bathroom is old (but with new sink and vanity,) but look at the original hex tiles and the subway tile! Someone also complained that our baseboards didn’t look clean enough, which… first of all, I have done nothing but clean for weeks, and second - aren’t you ever going to clean them yourself? Why do you care? Ah well… it could be worse. The house we are buying had a previous offer that fell through because the buyers were scared of the lead paint addendum and insisted that all the lead paint be removed. Like, seriously? Every house in this part of town has lead paint somewhere, that’s the nature of old buildings!

Since I don’t work during the day I am frequently having to exit for house showings. There are 2 today. During the first I went to the natural foods store down the street - I wanted to walk, but I had Leon the cat with me. I don’t like him to be there for showings because he is so super friendly - anyone who is not a cat person might be freaked out.

I considered the green cleaning products while I was there. Since I have been having to keep the house so clean I have really started to be concerned about using chemicals to clean. I no longer use commercial floor cleaners, and I long ago switched from 409 type sprays to Method Brand. I’m interested in making the switch to almost totally natural cleaners. I bought a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s because I love the smell and it can be used for so many purposes. I’m going to dilute it and see how it does as a general purpose cleaner. It’s also a peace offering to Marc, because when I cleaned out the cabinets I threw away lots of old scary chemical cleaners, including his bottle of Spic & Span. Apparently the housekeeper in his house growing up used Spic & Span for everything, and he is very enamored of the idea of using it. Does anyone else have this sort of argument with their significant other? He’s a hoarder and I’m someone who is trying to live a more minimalistic lifestyle. He gets really upset when I throw anything away, and I get upset when there is too much “stuff” around. I want everything put away, he is happy when things are out where he can see them etc. How to resolve this conflict?

I’ve been on a bit of a craft book buying spree. I bought Abode A La Mode (love the projects, highly recommended - I’m making the domino backsplash!) The Big Ass Book of Crafts (not as recommended, lots of things which are not to my taste at all,) and Retro Knits (again, not so much recommended, I have lots of the patterns in their original form, and most of the resizings here will not fit me at all.)

But my favorite purchase was a last minute impulse buy: The Complete Book of Retro Crafts.

I love this book because it celebrates the kinds of crafts we did as kids, and somehow manages to make them all look fresh (and yes, a bit kitschy.) There is talk about setting up your craft space and discussion of materials, as well as a look at how to live a crafty lifestyle that I enjoyed. But of course we’re all in it for the projects… and they do not disappoint!

Whether you will like this book or not probably depends on how likely you are to decorate your house with something called “Reinbeers.”  I, of course, love the unexpected, and so I will be making some for next Christmas.  I’ve also always wanted a starburst clock, as well as one of these Christmas tree centerpieces (my grandma had one.)

On the downside, some of the projects are a little bit too much like crafts I made in girl scouts.  The biggest success comes from projects with a 1950s vibe.  I’m planning on my kitchen in the new house being very retro (working with, rather than against the old cabinets, and staving off a remodel.)   I’ve seen some lovely retro kitchen treatments with cabinets of this sort (1940s/50s, plain white with copper handles.)  We have a formica kitchen table (white and silver) and a working Chambers stove from the 1950s, both of which I love but we don’t have room for them in the condo.  They will go in the kitchen, along with a new retro floor which I will install myself (it has yucky beige vinyl tile now) and I think I will be very happy with the results.

I have also become obsessed with paint colors, since I love to paint.  I’ve been stalking my local Benjamin Moore store, planning what colors I will use to cover the icky pink walls.  That will be for a later post, when I get less scared of jinxing myself (although we do have a back-up plan in the even that our condo does not sell quickly or the house gets another offer without a contingency, that is not ideal and I’m hoping we don’t have to go there!)

Oops, I lied! June 1, 2008

I was going to start the Dayflower Camisole, but I realized that my size 4 needles are tied up with Joy. I could have worked on that, but I decided I wanted some nice stockinette, so I started the Printed Silk Cardigan instead.

I decided on a turned hem, and I’m happy with how it’s coming out.  My gauge is slightly small, so I should get the 32″ bust I wanted!

Other than that I have cleaned… and then cleaned some more.  We had our open house today, and I wasn’t here (of course) but when I left I saw three cars waiting for the open house 15 minutes early - that has to be a good sign, right?  Patience was never my strong suit, but I guess I’ll have to try it out here!

There’s lots more, but I’m exhausted - I’ve gotten up super early all week (my week off) and I’m ready for a rest and lots of knitting!

If I seem absent… May 29, 2008

there is a reason - we bought a house! Or rather, I should say we are in the process of buying a house - our offer has been accepted, but our place needs to sell first. I’m a little nervous that it will all fall through, but I’m trying to be positive! We rented a storage pod and half our belongings (including at least half my yarn!) now reside in storage until the sale. Right now I’m trying to clean the house thoroughly for the first showings, and we will have an open house this weekend. Our real estate agent (yes, we finally found one) is wonderful and found us exactly the perfect house, so I hope he can work his magic selling ours as well!

I didn’t think to take any photos while we were in the house, but here is a photo from the listing (the photos in the listing are all terrible, but look at the pretty fireplace - there are 4 similar fireplaces in the house, all different colors.)

It will be so pretty when it doesn’t have smudged pink walls anymore! It’s a beautiful old house, and while it needs some cosmetics I don’t mind, since it’s getting us a larger house than I thought we could afford. Besides, if there’s one thing I enjoy it’s fixing up a house - it’s like my childhood all over again (my dad was in the restoration and antiques business, so I was forever in old houses.) It is of course nerve wracking to make such a large decision, but this house had all the things we wanted (room for a music studio and waiting area for me, large open 3rd floor for Marc, room for me to have a formal dining room and living room in addition to the piano studio. It also has street parking, something which was lacking with the last house we made an offer on. All the woodwork is lovely and unpainted, it requires only a bit of TLC, but it won’t require stripping paint, thank goodness! The kitchen is a bit 1940s, but I have plans for that as well…not a total redo, but something to make it bright and pretty. It’s at least 3 times the size of my current kitchen, I won’t know what to do! All the floors are hardwood, no carpeting for me to deal with either (it kills my allergies.)

So… keep your fingers crossed that we will sell our condo quickly and be into our new home - and thanks to everyone for your well wishes so far!

I haven’t knit a bit I’ve been so busy, but I did wind up all the yarn for my next knit, the dayflower camisole.

I’m using the Classic Elite Premiere called for in the pattern. I got gauge on size 5 needles, but I think I’m going to go down to size 4s in order to get a slightly smaller size for some negative ease - cotton stretches, and I think it’s best to have a tighter fit on the top with an empire waist. Besides, I find that my gauge always is larger when I knit in the round, and I have to admit that I have never mastered swatching in the round.

FO: Drawstring Chemise May 26, 2008

Pattern: Drawstring Chemise by Connie Chang Chinchio, Interweave Knits Spring 2008

Yarn: Rowan Cotton Glace, 5 skeins

Needles: US 2 and 1

Notes: A knitted camisole that’s wearable? I can’t believe it - I swore off knitting camisoles after the a-line tank last year (it looks cute, but worsted cotton is not practical for a tank.) I made two small modifications to this pattern. The first was to add 1.5″ in length. I added this length after the waist decreases. I would definitely recommend adding length unless you are very short in the torso. The second (small) modifications was to knit an extra set of decreases on the back piece only. I don’t know if it made a difference, but I was concerned about it being too boxy, and it’s definitely not. I chose to knit the 30″ size, which is smaller than I would usually go for. I ended up with a 31″ bust after a little gauge change, and it fits perfectly with 2.5″ of negative ease. Keep in mind that it does have a drawstring, and you can cinch the bust to fit a little, but not too much without wrinkling.

Believe it or not, this is actually the first time I’ve knit i-cord (for the drawstring.) I hated knitting it, but it really does look nice and adds to the overall polished feel of this knit. I had a little trouble getting started on the lace - I would recommend drawing a line on the chart where your size starts and stops to help make it more clear. By the time I got to the inset I had no more problems. This isn’t really wearable without a layer underneath, but I expected that, and I think it looks perfectly fine over a thin tank top.
I really enjoyed this knit - thanks to Connie for a great pattern!

Well, that’s done May 23, 2008

Thanks for the advice about my cabinets - I knew what I had to do, I was just hoping to weasel out of the work. I’ve spent the past two days taking my cabinets from this:

To this:

They do like nicer, I have to admit (by the way, the first picture is after I started removing the old finish… they were not that bad, although several were just missing their finish.) The white I painted them is much cooler than the old ivory, and I think it helps to tone down the walls (I love green, but I know not everyone does… but I am not painting the kitchen. It was awful painting the first time! I also have to say… never again (on the cabinets.) My husband was out of town all week, which is why I was in the cleaning/fixing frenzy. I painted them on the balcony and a few in the stairwell, since those are the areas I can keep the cats out of. If we weren’t moving I would have just bought new cabinets, as these are really just not nice. They had very little adhesive on them, except for two, so removing that wasn’t bad, but to my (admittedly critical) eye they look painted. Better than before, but not what I would want long term.

I also spruced up the bathroom with new rugs, shower curtain and bath mat, and the bedroom with a new duvet cover and general tidying up (I have 4 bags of clothes for Goodwill, my closet is so empty!)

The rest of the place looks pretty good, except for the closets that need to be emptied.

I have barely knit all week, which is sad, but hopefully soon I will be back on track. I’m like this with projects - I need them done once I start them, and I’m very single minded until they are finished. I apparently don’t believe in doing a little at a time.
Hopefully soon there will be knitting photos (and book reviews - I got a few books as my reward for the week of super hard work!)