Lynn Making Stuff

Phat Knits

2011-06-19T11:27:00.003-05:00

When I saw this, I thought it was amazing. It's from an exhibit in Antwerp by artist Bauke Knottnerus. I love it!!

For more information and photos, visit the artist's site.

Practical Knitting

2009-01-24T22:01:00.001-06:00

legwarmers2.jpg
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

Happy January! Once I had finished up my Christmas gift knitting, I didn't have time to get another project together to take with me on my vacation. That was very unfortunate, but, we kept pretty busy visiting both my husband's and my families back-to-back, so it was probably good. Plus, I had just started a new book, and it allowed me to get well into it without distraction. I love reading, but sometimes the drive to knit will supersede everything, and I don't get much reading done. (I'm reading Anathem/ by Neal Stephenson - good book!)

For my birthday, a colleague at work gave me some de-stashed yarn, a project bag, and the Son of Stitch'n Bitch book (Debbie Stoller), since she had an extra copy. It was a really generous and unexpected gift. One of the yarns was a silk/mohair. I had always wanted to make a pair of leg warmers, and I remembered that there was a super-easy pattern in Last Minute Knitted Gifts - Super-Easy Leg Warmers (Joelle Hoverson). I immediately grabbed some yarn from my stash and knit up a pair of 20" leg warmers. Now, I was never a fan of the over-the-pants version of leg warmers, but I know how great they are since I danced from age 7. A few years ago, my sister told me she had bought a pair and enjoyed wearing them under her pants, and that they kept her legs toasty. So, That's what I'm doing with mine. I finished them in time for the coldest day of the year (high in the negative numbers!!), and they worked great. I wished I had some for my thighs, though. Man it was cold waiting for the bus.

In other practical knitting, I have made a scarf for a friend at work, at his request. He chose the Rustic Man's Scarf also from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I gave him a ton of patterns to choose from, but I think he liked the basic simplicity of this one. I really like the vertical striping, and the way you get the extra stripe on one side when you start a new color. He had chosen 4 colors instead of 3, so I did alter the striping pattern slightly. It was a fun and easy project, and I might have to make one for my husband... I used
Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky in Oregano, Pewter, and Taupe, and Knit Picks Cadena for the dark brown. The wool was much softer than I had thought it would be. I think this is a really great and affordable bulky yarn.

Next up, I need to finish my second Knotty or Knice sock (Interweave Knits Fall 2008). Somehow I lost my second #2 circular needle, so I had to wait until I had a second one again to start the 2nd sock! Now I'm back in business and ready to go. Let's knit!

FOs & Re-considering Craft

2008-12-20T17:03:00.002-06:00

IMG_1659.jpg
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

While listening to NPR (WBEZ in Chicago) last Saturday, I caught part of the "To the Best of Our Knowledge" show (12/14/08). The whole show was about craft, hence the title, "Re-considering Craft." It was a very interesting set of stories from an author writing about craft, to a craft fair in Milwaukee, to a neuroscientist and the effect of making things on our brain. I highly encourage everyone to take a listen. It was quite an interesting show, and I think it helped to explain why there has been such a resurgence in crafting in the past few years. You can find the podcast on iTunes, or go to the show's web site: http://www.wpr.org/BOOK/shows.cfm.

Anyway, on to finished objects! I have actually completed some Christmas knitting. I made a very basic hat (The Boy Hat pattern by Elizabeth Heath-Heckman) I found on Ravelry for my husband, and some matching Dashing mitts. I modified his a bit, since he didn't want then to go as far past his wrist. So I started the first cable after 6 rows, and only put 7 rows between cables instead of 9. That shortened them enough. The yarn is Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool, which is super-soft. It's sort of a blue tweed (Denim color), even though it looks almost gray.

I also made the smaller size of the Dashing mitts for my Sister for Christmas. Those are made out of Malabrigo merino worsted. I followed the pattern on those,and they turned out great! I think this pattern is interesting with the alternating cables, and because the cables are spread apart, they are more of a design element than an actual pattern in the mitts. They also help to make the mitt snug around the wrist without having to do any decreases and then increases for the hand area. That may be obvious to some, but it was an interesting revelation for me while knitting these up.

I also completed my first knitting commission. I had made a pattern up for a braided-cable shrug, which I've made 3x before for myself, my mom, and a friend. I made yet another one for a friend to give to her sister-in-law for Christmas. She chose the Main Line yarn from Knit Picks for it, and I made it a 3/4 sleeve length. It turned out nicely! I have another knitting commission request for a custom scarf, but I won't start on that until after the holidays.

Happy Holidays & New Year!

New yarn, new things!

2008-11-23T21:46:00.002-06:00

Soooooo, I didn't really need to buy any yarn. BUT, It was Nina's 4-year anniversary, and I was already close by, having gone to the DIY Trunk Show, so I stopped by. She was having a sale, you know, 20% off everything. I ran into a few friends there, and WOW was it crowded!! The line for the check-out was about 15 people long, and snaked around the store. It remained about that long until I got in line about a half-hour later. By the time I left, it had gone down to about 6-7 people, but that was absolutely the most packed I'd ever seen the store! Hooray for Nina!

So, I knew I was going to make something for my sister for Christmas, but I wasn't sure yet about the yarn or pattern. But, when I got to looking, it was the Malabrigo that was calling. I got some lovely Olive green worsted, and then some lettuce green superwash sock yarn. I figure one project for Christmas, and one for her birthday in January. And of course, I needed more needles, so I threw some #1 circulars in (for the sock yarn, of course).

I decided on Dashing from Knitty.com Spring 07. I started the pattern for the smaller size, and after doing the 18 rows of rib, I decided it was way too big. And so, I downsized it by 5 stitches, and tried again. This time, I got through the cables, and then decided it was too small!!! The cable areas make the wrist much more fitted, since it's less stretchy. I hadn't thought of that. Now, I've re-cast on again, for the original size. Hopefully the snug cable part will feel right and I'll ignore the roomy part. We'll see how it goes.

OMG some knitting has been happening?!

2008-11-20T20:30:00.005-06:00

Knotty Sock
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

Well, I'm finally inspired to post on my blog again. So, apologize for the bad photo styling, but in an effort to just get a post out, I have just given up on nice photos tonight.

First, I had started these Knotty or Knice Socks (Chrissy Gardiner) from the Fall 2008 Interweave Knits magazine. Once I got the cast one done, it was pretty smooth sailing. The pattern takes a little effort to follow, but I got it into my hands pretty well. These will definitely have to be blocked, but they fit pretty well. I ended up making the length of the foot shorter than the pattern called for, because I only wear a 6.5 size shoe. I made the length from the ankle go right up to my calf, and I still had yarn left!

Next, I was asked to make a version of my braided cable shrug for a friend's sister-in-law. She bought the yarn for me, and I knitted it up. This is a very easy pattern, and is mostly mindless knitting. It just needs to be seamed up! I didn't get to make it full sleeve length, however. The Main Line from Knit Picks looks best on a size 8 needle, so I didn't have my friend get quite enough yarn. It's also only 82 yds/ball. But, I think it will be very cute, regardless.

What's next? I'm not sure. I need to do the 2nd sock, and my sister needs some fingerless mitts, so maybe I'll start both! Either way, I should really spend some more time knitting and less time on facebook :) Knitting is much more rewarding.

History was made.

2008-11-20T19:41:00.003-06:00

I'm so proud to be an American these days!

Baby things

2008-01-28T21:01:00.001-06:00

matinee_jacket
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

Finally, here is the finished Matinee Jacket from the Simply Baby book by Debbie Bliss. I don't think I had the gauge exactly right, as the arm widths were a bit wider than the opens on the body for them. hmm. So, I think the overall jacket is a bit wider than the pattern should give. But, it was a good project. It was hard for me to get into the rhythm of the lace parts, so I kept making mistakes and having to go fix them. I also had wanted to use a white ribbon with hearts, but that turned out to be too stiff to fit through properly, so I used a plain white satin. I meant to get this done by Christmas, but it wasn't to be. So, I thought red is also a good color for February for Valentine's Day! It will go to its recipient soon. I am not sure it will fit her yet, though :)

In the meantime, I have started the brioche stitch hat from Weekend Knitting. It's really addictive! I wasn't sure I was getting the stitch right, but after a few rounds, it started to become clear and look right. It's deceiving, because I expect it to be small, but it really stretches out a lot. We'll see how it goes. I'm using this super-soft yarn from Stonehedge Fiber Mill in Michigan. I picked it up at Stitches Midwest (where else), and I really love it! I was finally able to just sit and knit on Sunday, which was a luxury!! Anyway, more updates, soon, I hope. It's a quick knit.

Winding up the stash

2008-01-26T22:32:00.001-06:00

wound yarn
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

This year so far (all 3-4 weeks of it) has been busy!!! I did manage to finish up a baby project, and another linen hand towel. But, I just haven't had the time to sit and knit. However, I had been wanting to start some projects I bought yarn for back in August at Stitches Midwest. I can't bring myself to buy yarn without a project in mind, so I always have something I'm going to make when I buy. But, a lot of it was in hanks, not very usable. I had asked for a ball winder and swift for Christmas, and my mom did find me a ball winder, which is great. However, I still needed the swift. By chance, I happened to be up north today near the Arcadia Knitting store, and I stopped in to see if they sold swifts - and they did! I know am the proud owner of an umbrella swift. You can see by the photo that it is working out very well. I'm really happy to have this now, and I feel very self-sufficient. I am hoping this spurs me into working on some new stuff. :)

Pictured are 3 skeins of Shepherd's Wool from Stonehedge Fiber Mill (MI) in navy, light blue, and grayish-blue, 2 skeins of Malabigo worsted merino (the rich blue and bright redish-pink), and one large skein of Brooks Farm mas acero silk/wool blend in the aqua color. Hooray for new projects!!

Happy Holidays

2007-12-20T23:09:00.001-06:00

xmas_bell.jpg
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

It's almost Christmas, and we have our tree up, with all of our special ornaments. We don't have a lot of store-bought-matching ornaments, more of a collection of sentimental ornaments from our childhood, relatives, or special trips we've taken together as a couple. This knitted bell (there's a jingle bell on a string inside) was made for me when I was very young, and I have no idea who it came from, and I'm not sure my mom remembers either. But, it has always been special because someone took the time to make it for me.

When my parents moved to retire, my mom parsed out the special ornaments from our childhood to my sister and me. Now these ornaments hang on our own trees (including the baby Jesus made of a pink index card and strip of light blue polyester fabric with crayon face I made in Sunday School when I was 3 or 4!). It makes me think that I really should be knitting special ornaments for all our nieces (7) so that when they grow up, they will also have their own special knitted ornaments to remember from their childhood.

In knitting news, I'm trying to finish the Debbie Bliss Matinee Jacket from her Simply Baby book. I have one more sleeve, and then assembly. There will be a lot of seaming. I am making in red, and I wanted to finish it by Christmas for my friend's baby, but it will do as a Valentine's day coat for February, too. I should finish it in early January. I really have to start planning for Christmas 2008 in January 2008! Anyway, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!

Bubble Pullover complete!

2007-11-25T20:04:00.001-06:00

bubble_sweater2.jpg
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

SO, I recently finished the Bubble Pullover from Knitting Nature, by Norah Gaughan. It wasn't as hard a pattern as I initially thought it might be. Getting the size right was something I just muddled through, however. I used Valley Yarns Lenox, which is lovely, and was reasonably priced at WEBS at Stitches Midwest. I ended up having an extra skein, too. I bought 12, and used 10 + a little of the 11th. Because the smallest size was still larger than I wanted, I just used the next lowest needle sizes (8, 7 for ribbing). It turned out ok. It's not a super-fitted pattern, but it's not super-baggy either, the way I sized it. I used some 1" shell buttons I just picked up at JoAnn Fabrics. I have not made many things with buttons, but I'm learning quickly that the button holes really stretch, and you need to get a bigger button than you think you'll need.

So, since I finished this sweater, which I did during NaKniSweMo (this November was declared National Knit a Sweater Month), I haven't really started anything new. I've been updating my Ravelry projects and doing research. I have plenty of yarn stored up and ready for projects. I think I'm going to start the Matinee Coat from Debbie Bliss' Simply Baby book next, for a friend whose little one will be about 6 mo. around Christmas, and I have red yarn for it - should be perfect, if I can get started soon enough. I've also been learning some crochet, and made a great little box out of kitchen string! I'll have pics soon of that. Crochet is something that hasn't really interested me, but since I bought Simple Crochet by Erika Knight, I'm really interested in learning more. Plus, there are numerous knitting patterns that call for a little crochet that I've been avoiding, but now can consider!

Ravelry... fabulous!

2007-10-31T18:29:00.000-05:00

So, I got my invitation to Ravelry last night, and of course, I went and signed up right away. When I first heard about it, I was really interested in what they had to offer. I looked at screenshots, and thought, WOW, they have thought of everything! Once they had their new servers in place to handle greater load/members, I couldn't resist getting on the waiting list any longer. And really, I didn't have to wait all that long. I've already hooked up my Flickr and Blogger accounts, and I've entered 5 projects, so far. It's really nice to see how other people have done the same project - what yarn they used, color chosen, modifications made, etc. The only bad thing so far, is that I've figured out I've been doing the Trellis scarf pattern incorrectly! Ugh. Well, I'm sure I screwed up in my transcription of the pattern from the magazine to my note cards. It doesn't exactly look bad, but no one else has a solid diamond in the middle like mine has. I've gone too far to rip it out, and it will still be a nice scarf, but I really wish I had been on Ravelry when I first started it! I'm totally checking to see if other people have FOs of patterns I want to begin, so I know what I should get in the end. I remember scrutinizing the images of the scarf in the magazine, but none show the thing laid out flat. Blarg.

Overall, I really like Ravelry. I've been keeping specs on each project I do in a notebook, and they have a field for everything I've already been writing down - but it's much easier just entering it online. SO FUN!

Baby Hooded Jacket

2007-10-30T23:06:00.001-05:00

baby_hoodie.jpg
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

Well, I completed this hooded jacket from Debbie Bliss' Simply Baby back in JULY. But, I never posted about it! So, here it is. When I went to Stitches Midwest in August, I found a vendor selling vintage buttons, and I found a cute shell button with a simple flower carved on it. It should work great on this hoodie. I used RYC Cashsoft Aran yarn in Foxglove on #9 needles. It was the best! I really like this yarn, and can't wait to use it again for another baby project. I love the fact that it's washable. I think I got it on sale at Loopy Yarns, another good Chicago LYS.

Anyway, I still need to give this adorable project to my friend who had a baby in June! Good thing I made the 9-12 month size :)

I'm still working on the Trellis Scarf from Interweave Knits (Spring 2006), but I've also started working on the Bubble Pullover from Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature, which is pretty exciting. I have the body, sleeves, and bottom ribbing done, but I think I need to re-do the bottom ribbing. I didn't pick up enough stitches, and it looks too stretched. So, I've got that to re-do and then the collar to knit. I should have it finished by the holidays, I hope. More on that soon.

Trellis Scarf in progress...

2007-08-02T00:25:00.001-05:00

trellis scarf in progress
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

Well, I finished the Breeze socks from Knitty.com. I will post photos of them soon, but they are currently in the laundry! They were a little roomy, so I'm hoping a wash will tighten them up a bit. But they are still fun socks. More on those later.

I had two friends who had babies in June! I have completed one project, and must choose another to get started. Pictures soon!

I also started my very first lace project. I chose the Trellis Scarf, from Interweave Knits Spring 06 issue. The pattern is by Evelyn A. Clark. When I was looking over the pattern, I thought, ok, this isn't so bad, I can do this. EXCEPT - the dreaded "7 into 5 cluster". I read that description over and over and over, and still I could not picture exactly what I was supposed to do in my head. I did some internet recon, trying to find any shred of additional instruction on how to do these clusters. I found several blogs talking about them, but no real directions. I did see suggestions to use a size 1 needed. Fortunately, I had one handy, so I decided that it was one of those things you have to figure out by actually trying it. It turned out, I was right. The part that was really confusing me was how I was going to leave the 7 stitches on the needle after knitting them together. Here's how I accomplished the "7 into 5" without too much strife.

Work in the pattern to the yarn over just before the cluster
Slip the next 7 stitches to the right needle purlwise
Pull the left needle forward through the stitches so it can't slip out of the remaining stitches, and just hangs to the back
Slip the 7 stitches on the right needle to the #1 needle
Now you have a lot of room to slip the right needle in for the knit 7 together, and keep the yarn overs and k7tog somewhat loose so you can continue to maneuver the right needle
When the last k7tog is done, slip the #1 needle out and grab the left needle and push it back into the stitches and continue knitting.

Anyway, that's how I'm doing it without much trouble. The pattern talks about using a crochet hook, but I think it's pretty easy with a skinny needle.

I did screw up my initial chart to knit-code translations, and as a result, my first repeat is screwy on the left side. However, I figured it out and fixed it by the 2nd repeat, and now it's looking pretty good. I'm using Malabrigo laceweight 100% baby merino wool in Damask, and I like it. It is very soft and works pretty well. I'm a fan of their other yarns, anyway. I think I like lace knitting. It does take a lot of concentration, especially when you first start establishing the pattern. But I feel that I start recognizing the pattern changes the more I do it, which means its easier to catch mistakes early. More on the baby knitting soon!

Finished Jaywalkers... on to Breeze!

2007-07-07T01:05:00.001-05:00

jaywalker_done
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

Well, I've been bad a blogging again. It's summer, I'm feeling lazy, and here we are. I did finish the Jaywalker socks a little while ago. This picture is before blocking. I did block them and they flattened out well. These have been sent to my sister along with a hat and linen hand towel (the green one). Since then, I've also knitted up a blue linen hand towel for myself. It's amazing how nice the drape is of the linen after one washing. It's almost silky. I'll get a picture soon enough of that one, too.

In keeping with the sock theme, I did start another pattern! I bought some Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn in the color "cool", and I've made one sock from the Breeze anklet sock pattern in Knitty.com Summer 2007. I did mess up quite a few times (cabling to the back when I should have done front, etc) and I also ended up counting wrong at some point, and had too many stitches around, but I noticed only when it was time to decrease for the toe. I sort-of fixed it by doing additional decreases in the center, but it turned out ok, regardless. I just need to concentrate a bit better in the more complex parts. With one sock complete, I might cast on for the second, or start another project. I am going to make one more linen hand towel in the Louet Sales Euroflax linen in coral, for my grandmother. I also have a baby pattern to start - actually two, but I only have yarn for one so far. I'll be making the hooded jacket pattern from Debbie Bliss' simply baby book. Two friends have had two baby girls within about 2 weeks of each other. I definitely have my work cut out for me!

Ok, not all socks are easy...

2007-05-27T12:45:00.001-05:00

jaywalker_sock.jpg
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

So, I bought this gorgeous Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn when visiting my sister in Portland, OR, and I thought I'd make her some socks. So, I held on to it for a while, trying to decide on a pattern. I had wanted to try the Jaywalker sock pattern by Grumperina for a while, and finally decided that since I knit so tight, I could pull off this pattern on #2 needles with this yarn. Why not?

Well, for some reason, I had the HARDEST time getting these socks started properly. First I kept messing up the basic ribbing at the top. Then, I think I was messing up the pattern stitch, but didn't realize it, so I thought, I should take out a few stitches since it's too big. Then I did the pattern stitch wrong again - was leaving out the knit round between pattern rounds. ugh. So it was too small. Then I started it again, and it was finally right. I further complicated matters by using 2 circular needles instead of 4 dpns... and the directions are constantly referring to the different dpn needles. More brain-power was needed to translate that to my circulars. I finally put in some stitch markers which help. Anyway, I've made it to the toe part, finally. And I do hope that 1) I have enough yarn for sock #2, and 2) that sock #2 goes faster and easier now that I've done all my learning on sock #1. These were to be a gift, but if they don't turn out as well as I think they should be, my sister will be getting a different pair of socks in the easier pattern!!!

In other news, I finished a 3rd Ballband washcloth for a friend. This one reminds me of the Georgia O'Keeffe paintings of sky and clouds that she did late in life. One is hanging in the Art Institute of Chicago, and I always love looking at it.

Working with Linen

2007-05-14T22:52:00.001-05:00

linen_handtowel2.jpg
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

The Mason Dixon Knitting book has a lot of patterns that call for linen yarn. I was interested in this, as I like linen as a fiber a lot, but I had never knitted with it. I have used hemp for a baby sweater, and I had heard that it has similar qualities to linen. Both yarns start of stiff, especially if they are dyed, and both soften up a lot after a few washings. I can say that the hemp softened more as I worked with it by knitting it, and the linen softened up more after one washing. Linen looks very thin and holey as a fabric when you first knit it - I wasn't sure my Moss Grid "hand towel" was going to look anything like an actual hand towel at first! But, after washing it once and putting it in the dryer, it filled out and softened up significantly. I wish now I had done a before and after shot. But here is the after shot at least.

It was a great pattern to use to get used to the linen yarn. It only takes one skein, so it's less commitment (and at the price, I wanted lower commitment for my first project.) I used what the pattern called for, Louet Sales Euroflax sport weight linen yarn, in Jungle Green (I think). I also bought some blue, so I can make one for myself... after I finish the rest of the ballband washcloths I'm going to make...

Fun, Easy & Fast! Washcloths

2007-05-13T15:05:00.001-05:00

ballband_washcloths.jpg
Originally uploaded by Lynn1144.

So a little while back I made my first ballband dishcloth from Mason Dixon Knitting. I just used some Sugar & Creme cotton and some Lion Brand cotton yarn (worsted weight I think). It came out great, but then I was a little scared to use it - as it might get dirty or something! (Yes, that is what it's for.) Anyway, I decided I wanted to use it as a washcloth for me instead of for dishes. I found that it is really nice. It does shrink up a bit after you wash it and put it in the dryer, but it stretches back out as soon as you start using it. It's nice and absorbant and soft. So this has inspired me to make some more (with more Sugar and Creme yarn I bought) washcloths for a friend who is getting married in June. They are really fun and quick, and I think they'll make nice gifts. yay!

Resurected Blog!

2007-05-08T00:31:00.000-05:00

Hello. I have been delinquent, but partially because I lost my free hosting for the photos I had posted on my blog. I have now rectified this and photos should be back on all past posts. HOORAY!

I have been doing a fair amount of knitting which I plan to post soon. Here's a hat I made for my sister from One Skein. It was supposed to be the asymmetrical cable hat with pom-pom, but I decided I didn't like the pom-pom. So instead, I just sewed the hat closed straight across the top. So, lying flat, the hat looks like a rectangle, but when you put it on, it creates ears out of the corners! It was a happy accident. I used Misti Alpaca Chunky in Natural Brown, and it came out great (on size 10.5 needles).

Clapotis!

2006-11-12T00:08:00.000-06:00

So, after all the hype, I've finally made my own version of Clapotis. I didn't have enough yarn to make it the same size as the pattern called for, so instead of 6 repeats on the increases and decreases, I only did 5, but I still had a bit of yarn left. I think it is still enough to make it a functional small scarf or shawl that you can pin to hold it around the shoulders. This one is for my grandmother, so I hope she likes it. She also has lots of pins she could wear with it! I love the yarn I used, which I picked up at Stitches Midwest in August. I used a Brooks Farm yarn, Harmony (55% Mohair, 22.5% wool, 22.5% silk), and I started with 500 yards. I really loved their stuff at Stitches, and wish I had bought more. I used size 8 needles for the pattern, and it worked out pretty well. I haven't blocked it yet, but right now it's about 62" long, and 15.5" wide (slightly streched).

I'm still working on the Kyoto sweater from Knitty, but I'm on the sleeves, and it's just stockinette, so I've been doing other projects in between (like Clapotis!). I did steam-iron block some of the other pieces today, which felt good. Maybe that will motivate me to get it done! Another thing I've been making are washcloths. I got some Sugar & Cream cotton (Buttercream color) and made 2 last week for a double-baby shower last weekend. They went fast and were pretty fun. I plan to make a few more for another friend. The pattern I used for these two, Grandmother's Favorite, is very fast and easy!

Finally, I wish I had seen this pattern before halloween... I love Star Wars!

Hiatus... over, I hope!

2006-09-28T10:50:00.001-05:00

Hello. I have been so incredibly busy over the last 2 months, I've barely had time to knit at all since mid-August. I'm actually almost finished with the kimono-style sweater I started (working on first sleeve still, 2nd sleeve is last piece before seaming). I also was able to attend Midwest Stitches in early August with a friend. But then, my husband and I had to pack up our apartment, move down to the Hyde Park neighborhood, unpack and setup (still ongoing), go through training for an extra-curricular job we've taken on, and then juggle our day jobs with our new 24-7 job. We're living in an undergraduate dorm at the University of Chicago now, helping out with students.

Anyway, I hope to get back on a normal schedule soon. Classes started this week, which is good. I hope to still attend Wednesday night knitting at Nina's at least semi-regularly, and I've been invited to a new knitting group on Tuesday nights. Fun! So, I will be posting more progress on my sweater soon.

In other news, I really like alpaca fibers. And speaking of alpacas, I just saw this interesting analysis of alpacas in one of my favorite blogs, Treehugger. Sounds like there's plenty of alpaca fiber to go around globally-speaking, so it may be hard for American alpaca farmers to make profits on fiber alone - most of the money is in breeding. Interesting article!

OMG: the COOLEST knitting needles ever!

2006-07-28T23:47:00.000-05:00

So, looking at my Make Magazine Blog dashboard widget (Mac OS 10.4) Thursday afternoon, I notice a title that pique's my interest: "LED knitting needles and crochet hooks." I click on it and WOW! I see these three great pics of needles lit up entirely, and just at the tips. VERY COOL. Can you imagine how much more knitting could be done on a road trip at night?! Not that I've been on very many road trips during the night since I've been knitting where I've NOT been driving, but still. Very cool idea. I also have a soft spot for electronics and things using LEDs in unique ways. They are a super-efficient light source!

Starting something new!

2006-07-24T22:26:00.000-05:00

Ahh... the good feeling of having finished a knitted piece. The braided cable shrug I posted pics of in my last post is now finished and in a box ready to go out to my friend. I like sending packages, but sometimes I get into a terrible batch of inertia about mailing stuff/making it to the post office. However, I recently noticed a branch near me is open until 7pm on weekdays! Amazing. I will be going before I go to Nina's for knitting, since it's 2 buildings away. I can't believe I didn't notice it was open that late before now. I was so inspired, I got the 2 items into a box that I've been meaning to mail my sister. I even decorated the box.

So, the something new I've started is the Kyoto sweater (by Karen Stockton) on Knitty.com. I've wanted to do this one for a while, and it shouldn't be that hard, except that I can tell you now, the double seed stitch sash part is a little slow going on a size 5 needle. It is looking good, though. I am using different colors, but the same Tahki Cotton Classic (mercerized) the pattern calls for, which I ordered for a pretty good price from Flying Fingers Yarn Shop. I'm using dark brown for the sash, neon green for the accent stripe, and medium blue for the top. When I have something to show, I'll post an in-progress photo.

Hemp Baby Sweater Finished!

2006-07-16T13:36:00.000-05:00

After spending about an hour searching for the buttons I had bought to finish the sweater, I finally found them! And of course, they were in a pocket in my knitting bag I had already searched in 2 times. Ugh. Anyway, I found them, and got them all sewn on, with 2 left to give to my friend, in case any pop off later. Now that it's done, the overall shape seems a little wierd to me, and I'm not entirely sure my gage was correct, either. But, it's done, and will probably fit the baby at some point (it's the 6-9 mo size). I still feel like i'm floundering around during seaming, but I guess as long as it stays together, it's ok. I need more practice, though. I can't wait to find out the sex of the baby this is for, so I can make some more gender-specific items for it! Anyway, it's super hot out today (97 degrees and muggy), so I think it's a perfect day to stay inside, do some knitting, and work on other home projects.

Happy July!

2006-07-15T20:05:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a while, but I'm finally getting myself together again enough to post. I had a friend in town before the 4th of July, and then got a nasty summer cold... so now that I'm over that I'm feeling much better. We watched the fireworks on the 4th up in Evanston, IL from the beach with a crew of friends, which was rather nice. I am not a fan of the huge crowds in Grant Park for the Chicago fireworks on the 3rd. It was actually sort of chilly that night, too! Big change to our 90+ humid weather this weekend.

Knitting update: the baby sweater is finished, I've washed it twice, and the hemp has softened up, but I haven't sewn the buttons on yet. Once that is done I'll post the finished product. I'm thinking maybe I should do some washcloths out of the rest of the hemp I have left. I started another braided-cable shrug, this one for a friend of mine, and I'm making it out of Blue Sky Cotton (like the one I made my mother for Christmas). It is coming along great, and I'm thinking I want a cotton one, too... maybe with a different cable. I love cabling! I made a list of projects I wanted to make from my growing collection of knitting books, and since I'm almost done with the shrug, it's about time to pick a new project and procure the yarn. I was talking to another knitter I recently met about my unwillingness to buy yarn without a very specific project in mind. I just can't do it! I feel like I'd be wasting money and I'm afraid I would never use the yarn or I'll accidentally buy too little/too much and then be really annoyed. It does take me a while to make up my mind about what yarn to buy for a project, and I don't mind going to the yarn store, comparing, thinking, and then waiting if I'm not sure what I want get. I really want to like what I make, so yarn decisions are something I linger over. Maybe after a while I'll have a better sense of just KNOWING what yarn will work for what project I have in mind, but I don't feel I have that sense just yet.

Lastly, we walked around the Lincoln Square Sidewalk Sale today, where one friend was selling her jewelry, and another was helping out with some free face painting. My husband ran into the second friend while I was looking at something across the street and then showed up with the adult version of face painting - a painted tatoo. He's a sweetie.

Almost finished...

2006-06-24T18:30:00.000-05:00

Well, I said I would post an update on the baby sweater, and here it is. It's almost done! I hope to work on it tonight and get it finished up. I sewed the front to the back and added the collar this past week. I've decided picking up stitches is something I need more practice at doing. But I got the collar done, and it's ok. I did notice that they did NOT put a collar on the pullover in the picture in the book. weird. Anyway, all that is left is sewing the sleeves and attaching them and doing the side seams. Finally, I have to find some cute buttons for the left shoulder.

My next project will be another shrug - the braided cable shrug, seen here - in Blue Sky Cotton. This is going to be a gift for a friend, and I'm excited to get it started!

In other news, today I had a radically productive day. As we are soon moving to a smaller apartment in the fall, we need to get rid of stuff! We had collected some items and clothing over a month ago, but we hadn't taken them to donation centers yet. I finally got it all put together, added some additional items, and took it out. I sold some books at Myopic Books, donated some books and clothing to the Brown Elephant, and donated clothing and housewares to the Salvation Army. I also dropped off some dry cleaning and got some necessities at the store and quarters for laundry, AND picked up 2 movies at Blockbuster. Laundry has already been started. I feel so productive! Yay! Now I won't feel a bit guilty going to my friend's BBQ tomorrow.

Knitted Architecture?

2006-06-22T08:50:00.000-05:00

This is a quickie post, and I promise to post more later in terms of baby sweater progress (finished 2nd sleeve last night) and shibori work from my class. However, this thing I just saw on Treehugger.org merited a post!

There's a project in London called the Knitting Site which is a project to create knitted architecture! They are making a knitted house. It looks like great fun, and is being done in conjunction with the St. Bartholomew's Fair and the London Architecture Biennale. Check it out! Visit the gallery pages to see the process. It looks like they used some interesting industrial materials in additional to more traditional fibers.

Shibori & Knitting

2006-06-12T20:17:00.000-05:00

Well, not much to update on the knitting front. I had an incredibly busy last week and a half, including my 10-year college reunion at The University of Chicago, and this past weekend, taking a day off to hang out with my sister-in-law who was in town a few days early before she had to work at a conference. So what did we do, go shopping, of course!

Anyway, one of the fun things I did in my incredibly busy week was start a 4-week class on shibori at Lill Street Art Center. Shibori is a set of techniques for resist-dyeing fabrics used in ancient Japan (and still practiced there and other places around the world). But, I've also seen shibori techniques used in felting knitted fabric, which I find very fascinating. So, while I'm learning these different types of shibori techniques on silk fabric, I'm keeping in mind how I can also use them on knitted fabric. So, stay tuned!

Here are some links if you want to learn some more about shibori and knitted shibori:

World Shibori Organization

Interweave Knits, Fall 2005 issue has a great article on knitted shibori

Knitted shibori scarf tutorial from Just Jussi

Quickie project: using up old yarn!

2006-05-28T19:09:00.000-05:00

So, I had a lot of recycled sari yarn hanging around, some of which was already wound into a ball from my shrug project. With a few hours to kill on Saturday, and feeling rather creative, I decided to make a little gift bag for a birthday party we're attending tonight. It was quick and fun, and I totally made it up as I went along. To close it up, I used some old grograin ribbon woven through the stockinette.

We participated in Bike The Drive today, riding downtown, then up Lake Shore Drive to Bryn Mawr, then back south to Jackson, and then on to a breakfast place near our apt, the Sunrise Cafe (about 23 mi?). We got up before 5am to do this, so by the time we got home, showered, and ran errands, it was 12:30pm and I was beat! My 2-3 hour nap was quite refreshing. Now, after eating some leftovers for dinner, we're off to the Ice Cream & Film Noir birthday party! Have a great Memorial Day tomorrow. We'll be at a noon barbeque.

Lap blanket finished

2006-05-21T22:44:00.000-05:00

Ahhh. It is so nice when a long-term project is finally finished and ready for use. I almost entirely used up the acrylic boucle on the blanket! It's fuzzy and warm. I did some marathon knitting to finish it up, but to keep going I kept thinking, one more row, one more row! Then I had a million ends to weave in, but I just sat and listed to Prairie Home Companion yesterday evening (broadcasting from Iceland) and just finished them all up.
I think this lap blanket was the perfect use for the boucle. It's shedding a little, but I think it just needs a washing/drying to get any loose fiber off.

I did get a little more knitting in this weekend, on the hemp baby sweater. I've almost finished the stripes on the front piece. The front took a while to get going, as I kept following the wrong directions in the book, since there's a cardigan and a pullover verion, and I think I kept going back to the cardigan directions mistakenly. Anyway, it's moving along.

Even though I can knit and watch TV at the same time, lately I've been feeling as though TV can just bleed one's live away. This is especially true with evening TV with all the crime dramas that suck you in, or all the post-news sitcoms that run from 10:30 on... or 10pm on for FOX. My husband is addicted to the Simpsons, and so usually the TV will be on from 10-? with the sitcoms after that. However, if the TV is off, I find I can get so much more done! I think my goal for the summer will be to watch less TV and make more stuff. I have a list of short sewing projects to work on, like hemming pants, repairing jeans for my husband, etc, that I could do if I weren't watching so much evening TV.

Using Hemp

2006-05-05T09:45:00.000-05:00

(Disclaimer: this was supposed to be posted Friday, May 5th, but the server I keep my images on went down, so I delayed... but it's still down, so I put them on a different site, but the rest of my posts' images will be gone until it comes back up. - jlb)

So, I'm making this baby sweater out of hemp. It's the first time I've worked with the fiber. So far, it's going ok. I do notice that every little imperfection shows up, though. I am hoping that this will dissapate once I wash the sweater a few times, to get the fiber softened up and to fill out a bit. It does feel like it will have a nice drape, though, not that drape is something you usually consider in a baby sweater! This is a shot of the back piece, which is finished, with the green stripes I added. It's for a gender-not-to-be-announced-until-birth baby, hence the non-gender specific colors. I've started the front side, too, and i've decided I should add stripes to the sleeves, too. We'll see how that works out.

We're off to Saugatuck, Michigan this weekend, to celebrate our 2nd anniversary. We're taking our new bikes, and I am excited to get to ride around all weekend. I will probably make some progress on knitting there, too. It's nice not to be at work today, as it makes it much less hectic getting things done before leaving. Ahh, I haven't taken a day off in a while! Now, off to move the laundry to the dryer... And here's a pic of a flowering tree on the U of C campus. It's definitely spring!

Dreary Weekend...

2006-04-30T20:03:00.000-05:00

So, this weekend was rather depressing. It started out mild, but cloudy on Saturday, but as soon as I was ready to go out, it started raining. SO, no biking this weekend. grrrrr. We did get to check out the new Hyde Park Art Center Sat. night, which was fun. There are lots of familiar names around, as a lot of SAIC faculty also seem to be involved there. Anyway, it makes me want to check out their classes, as it would be very easy to get there after work!

Anyway, here's a pic of our orchid that we got 2 years ago, and finally bloomed again! It lives in the shower.

April Updates! (I'm a bad blogger)

2006-04-26T22:31:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's true. I'm a terrible blogger! I get stuck on something, and keep waiting to get past it to post, and it never happens... What I've been stuck on since the beginning of April, is taking a picture of the ear flap hat I was making. I made it, and then my husband and I (it was for him) decided it just wasn't quite right. It rather looks like you're wearing an old fashioned motorcycle helmet. Or an old army helmet... But there was one success in making it. The pattern called for one big uber-earflap that runs from one ear, all across the back and ends at the other year. Instead of doing that, I made two separate ones on each side (of my own pattern) that looked good. But overall, it was too loose/big which contributed to the problem of the fat-head look. I am going to wash it and see if anything happens - I was told it might felt a bit... but I just remembered it has some silk in it, so I'm not sure if that will help. If not, it will go to the thrift shop. Someone with a big head might like it!

I did start a new project - the Fluffy Lap Blanket by Nicky Epstein from Weekend Knitting. I received 6 skeins of Red Heart Light & Lofty acrylic boucle from my mother-in-law for Christmas, and it just seemed like the perfect blanket yarn (I'm not as fold of wearing 100% acrylic, but it's great for blankets, and easy to wash). I got some Lion Suede yarn for the contrast, and it's working out well. I cast on a little more than it called for, and I'm making it longer. It will be perfect to drape across the back of a couch, and then across 2 laps! It should be finished soon, and I'll post a photo.

Now, I just got word that a friend of mine is pregnant, so I get to make baby stuff! I just started Baby's Pure & Simple Pullover by Lana Hames, also from Weekend Knitting. I bought some Hemp for Knitting(tm) hemp6 (DK weight) in Classic Hemp color (left) and this nice brighter green, Sprout. I thought these were good gender-neutral colors, as the parents are not going to reveal the sex of the baby until it's born. I'm excited to use hemp for the first time, and I plan to wash it a few times to see how much I can get it softened up before I send it off. I have some time... I don't think the baby arrives until late fall.

So, that's the knitting update for now. In other news, my husband and I bought some great new bicycles 2 weeks ago. Last weekend, we donated our old bikes to Working Bikes Cooperative, which rehabs older bikes and either sells them to Chicagoans, or ships them off to the Africa. So, I've finally given up my 10-speed, which I got from my parents in 6th grade and use all through college and after. It was time for a new bike. I got a performace hybrid bike to replace it, so it is still somewhat road bike-ish, which I like. But I'm definitely happy my old bike will be put to good use by someone. It still has some life in it yet!

(PS, this post is brought to you by TK, who chastised me for not posting for so long!)

My friend's hat

2006-03-27T21:29:00.000-06:00

My friend at work has been wearing this hat all season, but I just realized what the design was. I think the picture says it all. Do you think they sell patterns of stuff like this???

Sweater! Fingerless Mitts!

2006-03-21T21:36:00.000-06:00

So, I'm finished with my first sweater. It was a fabulous success! I only blocked the bottom "shirttail" hem, but that's the only part that was really curling wrong. I debuted it last week on Wednesday knitting night. Hooray! Click the photo below to see a bigger image.

Immediately after I finished the sweater I picked out two new projects: fingerless mitts (aka gauntlets) and a hat for my husband. I've actually already finished the mitts!!! I used this fun pattern (Natalya Women's Gauntlets) I found online on this this blog. I used Manos del Uruguay in a dusty pink color, and I ended up lining the arm part of the mits with some polar fleece to keep them from being too itchy. I wore them today, and it worked out great. I did alter the pattern a little: cast on 32 instead of 40 sts, made the arm part shorter by an inch, and made the top part above the thumb longer to cover more of my fingers.

The hat I'm making is from the Winter 06 issue, in the staff patterns section. You can download the set of patterns from their web site. I'm making the Ridged Helmet Hat by Ann Budd. I'm using Misti Alpaca worsted 4-ply, 80% baby suri, 20% silk on size 4 needles. You might think it's a little late in the season to be starting a winter hat, but hey, this is CHICAGO. It was freakin' cold out today.

Almost done with my first sweater

2006-03-10T13:35:00.000-06:00

So, I'm finished knitting my first sweater, but I'm seaming now. I have half of it seamed up. Then I'll need to do a little bit of blocking. The sweater I'm making is from Weekend Knitting, and it's the Cashmere Pullover by Teva Durham. I'm making it out of Misti Alpaca chunky (aquamarine) instead, though, on size 11 needles.

Anyway, the whole reason for this post is really to share this great article on blocking from knitty.com. It's given me a few options and it's good to read about blocking for different types of fiber other than just wool. It's a good read, before you block for the first time!

The Poncho, finished!!! and Shrug!

2006-03-06T20:16:00.000-06:00

I did finally finish my darn poncho, and here's a detail shot of the pattern. (Click and see a pic of me wearing the poncho in Peru! that's another story.) I was very proud to finish it, but I did have to buy 2 more skeins or yarn in the process of finishing... but who cares! it's done!

So, I've been busy since my last post in August. But I have been knitting. I made my first knitted gift, a shrug for my mom out of Blue Sky Cotton (dark red color) that has a braided cable in the middle that streches down the arms and across the back. I liked it so much that I made one for myself out of Malabrigo merino yarn in the jewel blue color. It's is SOOO soft, I can wear it next to my skin. I love it!

The Ranch Tooth

2005-08-22T22:33:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'm totally infatuated with Wendy's new Ranch Tooth. It's adorable! And has a very silly voice. All it says is "Ranch". Dan thinks I'm nuts. I love that it has a different expression in each scene, too.

one of the commercials on google video

Shrug: completed!

2005-08-22T22:14:00.000-05:00

Actually, it's been completed for a while, but it took a while to get coordinated enough to get my darling husband to take the photos! It has stretched some with wear, but overall, I'm rather pleased. It's the first knitted thing I've had to finish with sewing the seams.

the shrug

2005-07-07T23:07:00.000-05:00

What's been taking up all my free time? Well, knitting! I'm currently making a shrug with bell sleeves, out of this crazy recycled yarn made from left-over sari fibers (mostly silk). I got it on ebay, and the same type of yarn in my nearby fave knitting shop is of much better quality. Well, i suppose you get what you pay for. That's ok, I'm learning, and the stuff I got wasn't too terrible. I'm about half done with the shrug.

So, more patterns with the below flowers are coming next.

power flowers

2005-07-05T23:59:00.000-05:00

So, back to my patterns! Using a different image, I traced some elements and then lined them up a bit to create a rather modern looking monogram... but from that unit, I was able to use the brush tool and altering stroke size to create these variations. I'm very excited about these, and will post more later using them... they are like flowers, or diatoms...

Since I'm only posting new stuff today, you're probably wondering, what was she doing all weekend?! Well, I was enjoying myself outside of the house, cleaning, having people over, and knitting. I'm on a new project using some recycled sari-fiber silk yarn. I will post a photo of where I am soon.

#2 take 2 (again)

2005-06-26T23:25:00.000-05:00

ok, got rid of the squished version. here is a reverse-color version. the background is now the same color as the lines that make up the pattern, so now the negative spaces show up. this is a little bright, but i like the way it plays with the eye.

a second pattern

2005-06-26T23:12:00.000-05:00

Finally, I stopped knitting long enough to post another pattern. This is from the same inspiration, but added a triangle. there is some slight undulation in the pattern as it gets smaller - almost a wave pattern.

I have been trying my hardest to figure out the problem with the Frida poncho pattern, but as soon as I fix one side, the other side is screwed up. I'm rather upset that I can't fix it, and it might be time to move on with a different use for my fabulous tangerine-colored yarn... but damn, I really do want to make this poncho! I've been obsessed with fixing the pattern all weekend. grr. I am going to try and put it aside for a while and come back to it later. Wish me luck.

pattern series 1

2005-06-22T22:26:00.000-05:00

So, my first exercise in creativity is to create a series of patterns from one source of inspiration: power lines. It is interesting how just using something as a source for a shape or grouping of lines can be transformed into something much more different. In this first case, I feel the pattern I came up with has an almost organic feel, like a plant structure, or underlying skeleton for something... that is also influenced by the colors I chose.

hmm, it could also be something knitted!

if you make it public, you're accountable

2005-06-20T22:32:00.000-05:00

I've started this blog to remind myself to make stuff. I need to create things that someone else hasn't asked for or isn't paying me to make. The time to start is NOW!

So, the first thing I'm posting is some knitting I've been working on for this Frida poncho pattern. Unfortunately, the pattern both online and in the new book Viva Poncho, has errors in the vine/leaf motif. GRRR. I'm still working on figuring out what those errors are, but in the meantime, I'm going to choose a different project to work on that will be more easily finished...

You can see where the stem breaks in the same place in the repeat. The left leaf also does not resolve correctly at the top like the right side does. Frustrating.