finish more knitting projects

• a ribby hat with pom pom, knit with Claudia’s Handpaints
• a mobius tote from A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting using grey Cascade 220
• A log cabined rug using some Wal-Mart cotton
• A “scribble lace” scarf for my mom, which I still need to send
• Some long cashmere blend arm warmers
• this Clapotis for Robin, which she’ll get in another week (finally)

I just ordered checks. I consider it a little obsessive that I first looked for knitting check designs, and then knitting icons. They didn’t have either, but… I still think it would be pretty awesome to have knitting-related checks.

...aaaaand I finished another scarf today. This was basically a little over two days of dedicated knitting. The pattern comes from a “Knitting Pattern a Day” calendar I got for Christmas.

I used Plymouth Yarns’ “Suri Merino”, which aside from the shedding was a sheer joy to knit with.

Also, if I keep going at the rate I have been so far this year, I may finish at least 24 knitting projects this year (to last year’s 13).

Here’s a picture of that “Vintage Velvet” scarf from Scarf Style that I keep talking about.

I learned a very important lesson over the weekend: I cannot knit fine lace garments.

I’m not sure if it’s that my hands are too big, or if my number dyslexia carries over, the needles I have are just wrong or what the problem is, but I just cannot knit fine lace. I cast on 375 stitches, made sure the correct number of stitches were there both by way of having stitch markers every 50 stitches, post-it notes to count where I was in the pattern repeat, so on and so forth. And every single time I ended up with the wrong amount of stitches – not enough to work the pattern with. After two or three tries, I tired of the project and put it away. It’s not like I don’t have plenty of other projects on the needles as it is.

I haven’t checked yet to see if the pattern (“Ene’s Scarf” from Scarf Style) has errata posted (::slaps self::) but… man, was I frustrated.

I’m thinking I need to pass the yarn off to someone who CAN knit lace and have them knit the damn thing for me.

I’m much more capable of knitting cablework, it seems. And I’m mostly fine with this – I’m the sort of girl who rarely wears anything “girly” and who generally steers clear of anything pink or with lace.

In other news, I recently finished the “Vintage Velvet” scarf from Scarf Style. I still hold the belief that I would like to knit almost everything out of that book. I used the recommended yarn, as my most-local LYS was clearing out their stock and had it for $4 less per ball than anyplace else I’ve seen. So far everyone loves it and comes up to touch it.

I’ll probably post a picture tonight.

• “Wobbly Circles” bag from the last issue of Interweave Knits – about 40% complete
• “Classy Slip-Up Sock” (#1 of 2) from Knit Socks! – heel has been turned, the rest of the foot needs to be worked and then #2 started
• “Ruffles” Scarf from Scarf Style – I’m about 1.5 balls in (out of 4 purchased) in Noro Kureyon 165
• Last strap of a Noro Iro tote bag I’ve been working on for far too long. Should be finished and attached soon. 80% complete.

I’ve got some serious start-itis going on. I keep starting projects and then quickly growing bored.

I learned recently that I don’t much enjoy intarsia knitting. It’s not that I can’t do it, I can do it fine. I just don’t enjoy the mass amounts of ends all over the place, and being the sort of person who doesn’t enjoy weaving in ends AND who doesn’t weave in the ends until she’s completely done in the event that there may be some form of serious error that may cause the ripping-out of whatever project it is, well, yeah.

I’m about 4” into a pretty sock from the Knit Socks book, 3 balls into a reversible cabled scarf from Scarf Style using Touch Me yarn (that was on sale and a lot cheaper than normal), 60 rows into an intarsia bag (Wobbly Circles from a recent issue of Interweave Knits) that will eventually be felted, once I’ve knitted the whole thing and sewn it all together and weaved in all of the stupid annoying ends (GAHHH!), nearly done with a tote bag made with Noro Iro (I need to knit one of the handles, sew it on and finish sewing on the other one), and I started that “Ruffles” Scarf from Scarf Style using some more Kureyon that I bought.

And then of course, last night I bought yarn for a chemo cap I’ll be knitting for a friend’s mother in law, more yarn for Ene’s Scarf from Scarf Style (mini-review: buy this book, if you haven’t purchased it already. This is the first book I’ve wanted to make most of the designs from.) and for Color on Color, also from Scarf Style.

I think I have enough projects in the trap to keep me busy for like five years, not to mention all the random WIPs that are stashed away in boxes. If only I didn’t have any other obligations and could just knit all the time. Seriously.

Whee!

I finished these the other day, but I am massively lazy (or easily distracted, you choose!)

I kind of hate working with this yarn. It tangles so easily and typically… just… STINKS. Literally.

But I like the way it looks, so occasionally I put up with it long enough to make something small. I have enough to make a hat, too. These are knitted from the same hank, but the color (and texture!) is so variegated and different in each.

Other projects in progress that I’m actively working on: Vintage Velvet scarf from Scarf Style (yarn was on sale at Ben Franklin, so I splurged); bag from a Noro book knitted using Iro – just needs to be sewn up; socks from “Knit Socks!” using Mountain Colors Bearfoot.

Yep.

Back to doing homework.

Finished the Big Kureyon sweater. Debating redoing the zipper, as the ribbing is very slightly off – higher on one side.

This is FO#3 of 2006 (and a picture of me looking pretty cracked out and cheesy – I finished it just before bed).

1 – Anyone have any tips on sewing a zipper into an otherwise finished knitted garment? I’m close to finishing a cardigan sweater that requires a zipper. I have purchased the zipper, and the garment has a two-stitch selvedge on each side for sewing the zipper to. How would you go about doing this? I have seen a couple of sections in books that say to baste the zipper and then sew it down, possibly using embroidery floss. What are your experiences and thoughts? What works well for you? This sweater is near-perfect (I had to knit eight more stitches than the pattern called for into the hood, since attaching the sleeves required it – I am not sure if it’s published errata or not) and quite likely the nicest thing I will have knitted so far. So I’m hoping to have a perfect – or near-perfect – zipper.

2 – I was looking through the most recent issue of Vogue Knitting and saw an ad for a french company showing a sweater I rather liked – cardigan with these interesting cable knotwork going up the fronts. I went to their website and it appears that actually purchasing something from this company is nearly impossible.

I haven’t had much time to do more than a cursory google search, but I am pretty positive I’ve never heard of this company outside of this Vogue Knitting magazine I have. I’m somewhat interested in making this sweater, but obviously I’ve got to acquire the pattern somehow. Do you know of any stores offhand that carry Bergere De France books/patterns? I could care less about the specific yarn the pattern calls for… the pattern is what I really am looking for.

Thanks!

I’m getting close on my 3rd FO of 2006 – a cardigan sweater made from Big Kureyon. Truthfully, I am way more excited about this than should really be considered legal, but… all things considered, it truly is an object of beauty.

I have finished the 2nd sleeve. All I have left to do is make the hood, sew the whole thing together, weave in the ends and sew in the fancy riri zipper I bought. Possibly using the sewing machine, even – which is way more exciting than I’m making it sound (I’m also learning to sew on a machine).

And then I’ll have a sweater. That I can wear around and be very proud of!

I am SO totally hoping to finish this sweater this week, but I think that’s pushing it. I have a cubic f-load of homework due in the next two weeks, as well as a fulltime job, a sewing class to participate in on Sundays, and… well… considering I have approximately six hours a night with which to balance knitting, homework, household chores and watching TV, I’m not feeling like I’ll be able to finish this week.

Maybe in two or three weeks.

I’d like to wear my sweater to the sewing class – it gets so cold in there, and I’d much rather wear something I made as opposed to the grey hoodie I wear all the time.