En Pointe Pullover or Not My Best Project

Over a year ago Natalie came up with a pattern, the En Pointe Pullover by Alice Tang. She loved the pullover and wanted my help knitting one.  She sweetened the pot by purchasing me some silky, Malibrigo Mora for the projects.  I am easily bribed when it comes to yarn.

The first problem was the 100% silk yarn.  It was slippery and knotted up easily.  I kept having to untangled my cakes and re-ball the yarn.  I got frustrated and quickly got tired of the yarn.

Then I started to look at the construction of the pullover and the completed projects on Ravelry.  I noticed this pattern would be flattering on a slender figure, but maybe not so much on a fuller figure like mine. I got kind of depressed about the En Pointe and threw it all in a bag, shoved the bag in a closet and tired to forget it.

Fast forward 9 months and my sock project failed me (or I failed the sock).  Anyway, as I was shoving the failed sock project in the closet the failed pullover fell on me.  Begrudgingly, I thought finish this dratted thing.  I was so self conscious about the flaws in this project I avoided taking it to my knit groups for fear of being ridiculed.

Finally, the project is done.  I did modify the pattern by adding bell sleeves to hopefully make the silhouette a little kinder for my figure.  I will say the silk yarn has a nice drape, but it is not forgiving at the seams or for weaving in ends.

I am hoping with my help Natalie's turns out better than mine.  As for mine done is done!



Returning to the Land of Ponchos

I am in the early stages of planning a return to the Land of Ponchos.  The pattern is picked, the yarn selection is being fondle, and the needle size considered.  Only this time I am taking a small posse of knitters with me.  Cue the theme song from the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

Knitiversary

Today is my 10 year anniversary!  10 years ago I crossed the stockinette bridge to a land of yarnovers, purl bumps, ufos, dpns, and yards and yards of yarn.  I love being a knitter and will schlep my project bags anywhere I go.  The joy of a new pattern or freshly caked skein of yarn thrills me as much as a chocolate cupcake (most days).  I love talking about my projects and bragging about mastering a new technique.  But you know what I love most about entering the clan of knitting?  All the amazing knitters I have encountered along the way.  They are legion and I thank them for knitting me into their community.  Sending out the knitting love.

Sock it to Me

Lately, I have been knitting socks.  I stopped knitting socks for awhile because I hit a pattern that frustrated me so much that I stopped for awhile.  When I had jury duty in February, I took a new sock project with me to work on while I waited. I have found that no one seems to connect my bamboo size 2 needles with knitting.  In fact one bailiff asked me if I liked crocheting. I just smiled and said yes. However, my last jury duty experience required lots of sitting in court being asked personal questions, not knitting. 

I had my sock pattern, yarn, and needles all ready for some serious knitting all hanging out in a bag waiting for me to notice it.  I decided well heck I have these Mermaid Lagoon socks ready I should just knit them on up.  Once finished with the Mermaid Lagoon socks, I thought heck that was fun, I should knit another pair in this here Charybdis pattern.  And I did.

The Mermaid Lagoon pattern was not particularly hard once I translated the pattern for myself.  The yarn did an interesting color change from turquoise to tan made creating a cool pair of socks.  My only complaint is the pattern was designed for a medium size foot and leg.  My canoes and hefty calves did not love this pattern.  I upped the needle size and it helped, but you know the sock could have been a little roomier.

Mermaid Lagoon Socks

Roominess was in ample supply on the next pair of Charybdis socks I knitted. One of my knit night buddies had clued me in that these socks knitted up big.  I used another color transitioning yarn from my stash which made for interesting socks.  I kind of feel like I am walking around with muddy paws when wearing these socks.  I loved the Charybdis pattern, which is free on Ravelry.  Do want to warn that it knits up big, so do a swatch, the pattern is charted, but can be modified for a smaller foot or leg.

Charybdis Socks

The real problem with hand knitted socks is I have problems wearing them.  They come out so perfect that my clumsy, size 11s don't deserve to wear them.  Working on getting over that real soon.

Natalie's Hitchhiker

I loved the Hitchhiker pattern so much I made Natalie knit one too.  Don't judge me too harshly, it was for a good cause.  One of Natalie's co-workers is moving to Minneapolis and I thought with the colder Minnesota weather she would need a nice scarfy thing.  I also happen to know her co-worker, like me, loves the color green.  I knew I had a "vintage" Dyeabolical Yarn skein of Derby Girl, which just so happens to be a green and black colorway.  It was one of the first balls of Dyeabolical Yarn I bought.  That said I had yet to knit something fabulous with it.  I knew it would make a stunning Hitchhiker, I also knew I was not going to have the time to knit it.  When I came to Natalie with the yarn and the pattern she saw the wisdom of my suggestion.  I was so right that colorway made a stunning Hitchhiker.  Natalie has not taken it to work yet for her co-worker, trying hard not to steal the finished project for myself.

Putting All My Eggs in One Basket

Tis the season to think of bunnies, eggs, and Easter.  How bunnies and eggs got attached to a Christian holiday is truly an ancient slight of hand.  Let's transpose the resurrection on to spring fertility rites.  Throw in the spring lamb and presto we still celebrate with eggs, rabbits, and lambs as symbols for the holiday.  Myself, I needed a break from the land of ponchos and decided to knit some eggs for my empty egg basket.  Please, no jokes on the symbolism there. 

Let me back up a little to tell you about this empty egg basket.  At our open house one of the guests gave us an egg basket full of apples.  Weirdly, I have a couple of alabaster eggs leftover from the 70s, a couple of shaky eggs, and a few other miscellaneous egg shaped items.  My thought was as I unpacked the eggs I would put them in the basket, but I have only found one shaky egg.  Frustrated by my empty basket, I decided to knit a few eggs.  Fortuitously, Ravelry had just the pattern I needed, Elegant Eggs by Knitty Keen.

With some left over yarn and free time I made five.  Somehow I managed to restrain myself from knitting a few more.  Natalie wisely reminded me that I still had those other eggs hiding somewhere and when I found them they would still need a place to go.  Now I can at least say a have a few eggs in my basket.

Knitlandia or I Read a Book

I know I am trying to get credit for something I should do anyway, but I read a book this week.  I rarely read anymore, if I can't get it on audio I normally just don't read a book.  This week I made an exception, I purchased and read Knitlandia: A Knitter Sees the World by Clara Parkes.  I had heard she had a new book out by the fine knitters over on the Mason/Dixon Knitting blog (http://www.masondixonknitting.com/things-we-love/books-we-love/rule-knitlandia/).  Ann and Kay have never steered me wrong, so I made it a point to buy the book, as in a real open the cover and turn the pages kind of book.  Parkes already has some of my bookshelf real estate with her The Knitter's Book of Yarn  and The Knitter's Book of Socks, surely I could make room for another book by her.  Both of her other books made me think about the technical side of yarn taking me a step beyond my usual questions about yarn, is it green and is it soft.  I appreciated the education and still utilize the yarn book from time to time.  Intrigued by her travelogue in the world of knitters I dragged out the debit card and as soon as I got the book home I started reading. 

Parkes does not write with the marathon prose of Stephen King or Tolstoy.  In fact her prose is compact and direct which made for a quick read, which I appreciated.  Yet, her stories of festivals, conferences, and sock summits abound with kniterati and sparking dream locations.  I mean of course I want to see Edinburgh, Paris, and Iceland, but now I want to see those places from a yarny perspective.  Parkes allowed me to enjoy her adventures while safely sitting on my futon drinking hot tea.  I devoured the book and immediately went to the internet to check on prices to flights to Iceland.  If only I had the time and the money, I would be on the next available flight to Reykjavik.   Okay, maybe I would wait for spring.

One of the things I took away from Knitlandia was how amazing it is to read about a woman who has in fact as she says, "I was simply following my heart .  Which as it turns out, is the best way to do it."  How inspiring and wonderful, women can find success in the world of fiber.  I can only recommend the book to my knitting friends and wish Parkes continued success living her dream.

Sweet Hitchhiker

Knitters are just like any other group, when friends knit a pattern we often find ourselves wanting to knit it too.  The Hitchhiker by Martina Behm is one of those pattern up there with the Clapotis (yup knit 2 of those) and the Central Park Hoodie (not yet) for knit popularity.  I checked on Ravelry.com and the Hitchhiker has been queued 22,541 times.  The pattern runs about 500 yards of yarn per finished project, if you do the math on that it is over 6000 miles of yarns or about the distance between St Louis MO and Hawaii, but I digress. 

I wanted to knit a Hitchhiker for myself.  I had bought the yarn for the project on the yarn crawl last summer and I just need to do it.  With all the holiday knitting and crocheted owls done, it was time to knit that Hitchhiker.  I used a brightly colored DK weight cotton yarn and size 6 needles. I found after awhile I got a little addicted to knitting the points on the pattern. The pattern calls for 42 points or teeth on one edge of the pattern. (For the Douglas Adams fans out there, yes both the pattern name and the number of points are in reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.)  As is often the case, I knit mine large and added a few extra teeth, because I had the yarn.

Rocking my Hitchhiker

After I started on mine I decided Natalie needed to knit one too, because that is what we knitters do, share a fun pattern.  We also have a friend getting ready to move to Minnesota and I thought she could use a warm neck wrap.  I knew I had some old school Dyeabolical yarn in a fun green and black color way which would be perfect for this pattern.  Pretty much I said knit this pattern with this yarn and Natalie did.  Both Hitchhikers turned out great, but it is amazing how much different they are.  Mine is a little largish and her Hitchhiker is a little smallish, but both are fabulous.

Natalie's Black & Green Hitchhiker

You would think I would be done with the Hitchhiker, but no, not me.  I actually can't wait to knit up another.  However, right now I have moved on to a large green poncho.  I don't think I can convince Natalie one of those, but you never know.

Apathy

I don't really care for sports.  It could be a lack of athleticism on my part or just plain apathy, I don't really know.  That said, if you like sports, please don't berate me for my apathetic opinion.  Please love your sports and let me not love them.  I will find something else to do while you watch the superbowl.

Now if knitting were a sport I might have to buy season tickets.

Casting Off 2015

As usual I did some knitting for the holidays.  I tried to keep it light, but you know sometimes I get a little too ambitious for my own good.  My friend Brooke Nico at Kirkwood Knittery is known for her lace projects.  From her needles comes some of the most gorgeous lace patterns, which for me can be daunting.  Counting beyond my 10 fingers gets complicated and many stitch markers are needed.  However, during the yarn crawl I purchased a kit from Kirkwood Knittery featuring the Chianti Cowl pattern in a luscious Black Bunny Fibers color way.  The kit color was in the red and burgundy family, hence the name, those shades do not flatter my complexion, but I knew it would look stunning on my mother.  I thought if I started knitting in August I would surely get done by Christmas.  The pattern needed my liberal arts brain to stay focused on the my stitches requiring the Chianti Cowl to stay at home.  Fortunately, I had a Blue Heron Chenille cowl I was knitting for my wife, Natalie, as a Christmas present, that cowl went anywhere she wasn't.

I knit with diligence and the chunkier Blue Heron cowl actually knitted up fairly quickly.  In fact I knit it up and sewed it together just in time to hear my wife say she did not like long cowls.  At 54 inches her cowl was going to be a long one.  I told myself she could wrap it around her neck twice, either that or I could strangle her with it (because the more you love someone the more you want to kill them).

The lacy Chianti Cowl was more of a challenge, that counting thing even with the stitch markers was slow knitting for me, but by Thanksgiving it was almost done. The frothy concoction needed to be blocked and finished with a 3 needle cast off.  Plenty of time I told myself.  Right.  There I was the week before Christmas blocking and trying to get it finished.  I spent Christmas eve casting off, but got it done.  The yarn with its merino, angora, and tencel blend turned out soft and light.  Brooke's pattern included an edging with a combination of stitches that not only blocked out flat, but stayed flat and looked stunning with the rest of the pattern.  My needlework was not perfect, but only another knitter would see, my mom not so much. 

In the end Natalie loves her new cowl with the cozy chenille yarn.  I have not heard back from my mom on the Chianti cowl.  I can only hope she loves the drape and color.  I also hope both know how much care and love went into each stitch.

Well, Hello 2016!

Leaving 2015 behind, the year of the big move, the year I felt displaced and out of my comfort zone always, the year I seemed to have lost everything I own in cardboard boxes.  Waking up to a me who quits moping about the move and starts finding her stuff and that damn power cord to my boom box.  I know it will get better.  I am also over knitting stuff for gifts right now when I want a big green poncho.  I need this poncho, I have lots of green yarn, and I know how to knit.  NYE resolutions: unpack my shit and knit that poncho.  Wish me luck.

Bat Mobile Or Itty Bitty Battys

Natalie and I heard we were getting a new niece awhile back.  I decided to knit her something and fate would bring Rebecca Danger's little monsters into my life.  I kind of fell in love with her itty bitty batty and saw a group of them made into a bat mobile.  The original plan was for Natalie and I to knit the bats together, but after knitting 2 of these bats, my control issues kicked in and I decided I would do it all myself.  I was frugal and used up most of the leftover Simply Worsted form the build a block blanket.  I had fun with this project and was excited to give the finished bat mobile to our new niece, the Divine Miss O.  The gift was a hit and now I can publicly crow about my knitting prowess.  Actually, the hardest part was the mobile.  I never was very good at mobiles.  Mobiles need precision and balance, things I do not possess in abundance.  I also made the bat mobile so as the Divine Miss O gets older they can cut the cords and she can have a colorful bat family.  Enjoy new niece!

Rainbow Knitting

2 Washcloths and a Hand Towel

After the history making Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality, I felt driven to knit up some rainbow themed coasters.  As you can guess coasters do not take a significant amount of yarn.  After 4 coasters I found myself with a bag full of unused rainbow hued, cotton yarn. About the same time one of my straight, not narrow friends gave us rainbow beach towels for the new house.  With yarn in hand, I thought I should knit some linens to match.  A hand towel and two washcloths later, I still find myself with some extra yarn.  However, I am very pleased with my triple rainbow accomplishments fancying up the bathroom on the second floor. 

Washcloth Matching the Rainbow Towel

Coaster that Launched Half a Dozen More Projects

What's Your Point Scarf

I have been knitting, but with moving & some larger works in progress I have not finished much lately.  However, awhile back I did finish a scarf which will not find its way around my neck until this fall.  In the meantime it languishes away with my other fabulous knitted scarves.  The pattern for the scarf is called "What's Your Point Scarf?" Available at the following website:  (http://www.skacelknitting.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.46871/.f ). 

The scarf was an easy knit, but it is the yarn I used which I love.  One of the Sunday knitters showed up with this Schachenmayr Regia Fluormania line of sock yarn and I knew I had to have some.  I found a vivid purple, pink, green colorway to call my own. 

I was worried that this pattern was going to just roll up once knitted.  My knitter think tank assured me blocking would take care of the rolling edge problem.  Aggressive blocking paid off and the scarf is flat as a pancake (which if you think about it a pancake is actually a little puffy on top).  Can't wait for nippy weather to show off this pointedly vibrant scarf.

Lambing Mitts

Sometimes you are just destine to do a thing.  For example the Lambing Mitts by Veronika Jobe(http://www.toltyarnandwool.com/blogs/blog/17124140-lambing-mitts), I was destine to knit them because by a fluke of a mispronunciation at Ellis Island that is my last name.  I thought it would be fun to be the Lambing in the Lambing Mitts.  The pattern was easy and I had some Aran weight Mission Falls I decided to use up.  I was also happy to be using my knitting needles instead of a crochet hook.

First I knit a pair for a co-worker's birthday.  I wanted to use up some of the odds and ends leftover from the crochet afghan I have been working on and decided to use a dash of blue in the red top of the mitt.  This decision was mistake.  The goal of the mitts is to have a garter ridge top to flip up and down.  On the first pair, I have the woven ends on one side, which is visible if you flip the top up.  Knitting fail.

Photo by Siri!

On the second pair, the set for me, I learned my lesson and kept the color changes for the hand garter ribbing.  I kind of love how the mitts turned out.  The turned down top is so wonderfully squishy, too.  I made my pair a large, but used the medium thumb size, which is prefect for me.  Again, what is not to love about an easy pattern sharing your name.  Much Love!

More Insta-hat & Blocks

Okay, moving aside I have also been working on putting my blocks together and finished another Insta-hat for Baby Sis.  So despite my puling, my life is not all packing and moving.  Sorry to be so negative, once I am moved it will be better.  In the meantime check out the knitting photos below.

Baby Sis Modeling the New Hat

All 12 Blocks Laid Out for the Next Step of Putting Everything Together

Insta-Hat

I have been so lucky in my knit life to have come in contact with some amazing knitters.  So much talent in so much variety.  One of my Sunday knit buddies is a talented stitcher, has a great eye for color, and she can a read a pattern backwards and forwards.  However, what she truly excels at is finding some of the best patterns out there.  I am constantly wanting to knit what she knits.  I find myself stalking her project page on Ravelry more than I should.  She is a pattern trendsetter.

Co-worker showing off her new knitwear

Over the holidays my knit buddy found the most adorable hat pattern on Instagram called Insta-hat by Lee Meredith (http://instagram.com/leethalknits).  Meredith posted the free pattern on Instagram and Tumblr in 4 installments.  You did have to go to a social media sight to view each part of the pattern, but it was worth it.  The pattern was fairly simple and knitted up fairly fast in bulky yarn.  I loved my friend's finished hat and knew I had some bulky yarn that needed to be knit up.  I threw aside my crochet (because you know I would rather be knitting) and cast on the Insta-hat.  Part 1 & 2 of the pattern went well, but part 3 gave me some fits.  After pulling part 3 out the second time I put in a lifeline.  Like always, once that lifeline went in I knit the pattern perfectly. 

My own Insta-hat

I was just going to make one hat for a co-worker who had asked for a beanie style hat in September.  I finished the beanie version of the Insta-hat and gave my bin of bulky yarn another look.  I found some green alpaca blend that needed to be knitted up in a slouchy version of the hat for me.  This pattern was quick and fun. I may have to go back to the bulky bin again and do some stash busting with this pattern.

Building Block #12, or the Final Block

And I finished Building Block #12!!! And it was a booger to knit with lots of lace and stuff.  This block was in fact the hardest one to knit, but it was the last one.  I have enjoyed doing a block each month with Natalie and a part of me is sad to see the end of the book.  I have been blocking the blocks and after the first of the year and I will begin putting them together.  I know so exciting you are beside yourself joy.  Are not.  I know knitting might not be your cup of tea and you might not be as excited by my accomplishments as I am, but thank you patiently listening to me prattle on about my blocks.



A Head for Trouble by Julie Turjoman

Before Thanksgiving I enrolled in a class at Kirkwood Knittery taught by Julie Turjoman.  I had previewed her book, A Head for Trouble: What to Knit While Catching Crooks, Chasing Clues, and Solving Murders, at knit night and signed up for the class.  The class was a great deal because it included the book as well as learning more about knitting.  I did not really ask what the class would focus on, maybe I should have.  I showed up not even sure what we were doing to discover the class was on embellishments and using beads.  I have seen my friends use beads with their knitting projects and thought it was complicated and annoying.  I looked around the room at the quality of knitters and felt like maybe I was in the wrong class.

Turjoman book had impressed me with the clever idea of knitted hats worn by female detective characters in mystery novels set in the 1920s.  The adorable hats were there for us to examine and even try on.  Seeing the construction of the headwear made me want to pay attention and learn to overcome my fear of beads combined with yarn.  I discovered under Turjoman's tutelage and cool visual aid beading is not so bad. I even knitted a cute little beaded leaf, yay me.  I also learned techniques for a flat flower and a ruffled one, again I say yay me. 

My nervousness at being around other amazing knitters turned out to be unfounded.  Everyone was so supportive and helpful. Learning something new is always better when surrounded by fun people.  I am so glad I signed up this class and I love the new book.  I have earmarked the beaded Daisy cloche as something I want to knit.  I liked Turjoman's designs so much I even purchased another of her books on tops called, Knits that Breathe.  Thanking the ladies at Kirkwood Knittery for putting together such a good event.

Building Block #11 & 20 Cornered Grannies

With all the things going on in my hometown, I have felt frivolous blogging about my knitting and crochet.  I am struggling to make sense of all the events that have happened and how I feel about it.  I have opinions, but then again don't we all.  I have decided to stop expressing my opinions and just spend my time on working towards solutions in the way I live my life.  I will continue to judge people by their actions not physical or social traits, I will continue to respect the law and those that enforce it,  and I will continue to be a human in a world full of wonderful and amazing creatures.  Personal manifesto stated is it alright if I discuss my fiber crafting, without too much judgment? 

Stack O' Corner Grannies

I have been trapped in crocheting corner grannies, 20 of them to be in fact.  Our crochet along group assignment was only 8, but I soldiered through to get all 20 done.  In working towards stash busting, I realized that I needed to get all of my corner grannies done before moving on to a different block.  I needed to be sure I had enough of the colors to complete these blocks and judge what I would need for the next block pattern.  I repeat to you, working out of your stash is hard.  I have also discovered I do not love crochet as much as I love knitting.  At the end of a trying and difficult day watching your hometown going up in flames, I want to knit the hopelessness away, not crochet.  With discipline and resolve I stuck to the corner grannies and I am gratefully done with them. 

Building Block #11, The Make One Square

As soon as the crochet task was done, I looked at my calendar and realized my monthly block was not finished.  With a squeal and a flurry of needles I whipped out building block #11.  This month the block was all about the make 1 stitch.  I dislike make 1 in knitting because it always leaves a hole, but following the instructions I did as I was told.  This block is not my favorite, but I do have a better grasp of the make 1 stitch now.  Practice aside, I think I will still continue to use the knit front and back (kfb) as much as possible.  November block done, just in time in for the  December block, the last block.

One final thought, I hope your Thanksgiving celebrations found you warm, safe, and with those you love.  Peace my friends.