The replacement skein (for the sweater for Schaefer Yarns) is the right color! So I can carry on without having to rip, and no one will drive themselves crazy trying to weave in all the ends created by having 2 colors that appear every 12 rows. (Non-knitters, pretend that that made sense!)
In other news, I'm going to LA for the weekend (and also tomorrow, Friday and Monday... apparently a four-day week last week wasn't good enough for me) to see my friend Jen, who I've known since middle school. I hear LA has a bright, glowing thing in the sky that gives off light and heat, and I'm very excited to learn more about it! Do you think it will ever come to New England? (Actually, today wasn't so bad, was it?)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
E (finally!)
1. Middle name letter: E
2. Famous artist/band/musician: Suddenly, I have forgotten the name of every artist/band/musician I have ever known (which wasn't that many to start with!)
3. 4-letter word: ever
4. U.S state: Eleware? Eorgia? Entuckey? Ebraska? Evada? Ew Hampsire? Ew Jersey? Ew Mexico? Ew York? Ennsylvania? Ennessee? Exas? Ermont? Est Virginia? Hmm, maybe not.
5. Boy name: Edward
6. Girl name: Elizabeth
7. Animal: Emu
8. Something in the kitchen: electric kettle
9. Reason for being late: eating
10. Body Part: ear
11. Drink: eggnog
12. Something you shout: eek
13. Something you eat: eggroll
14. A movie you've seen: Earth Girls are Easy
2. Famous artist/band/musician: Suddenly, I have forgotten the name of every artist/band/musician I have ever known (which wasn't that many to start with!)
3. 4-letter word: ever
4. U.S state: Eleware? Eorgia? Entuckey? Ebraska? Evada? Ew Hampsire? Ew Jersey? Ew Mexico? Ew York? Ennsylvania? Ennessee? Exas? Ermont? Est Virginia? Hmm, maybe not.
5. Boy name: Edward
6. Girl name: Elizabeth
7. Animal: Emu
8. Something in the kitchen: electric kettle
9. Reason for being late: eating
10. Body Part: ear
11. Drink: eggnog
12. Something you shout: eek
13. Something you eat: eggroll
14. A movie you've seen: Earth Girls are Easy
Monday, March 24, 2008
A Sign?
My mom and I met up in DC this weekend to visit my sisters and their husbands/boyfriends/what have yous (technically, Anna's husband, their impending baby, and Rachel's boyfriend). In addition to getting to see each other and whatnot, this meant that I had to do my long run (20 miles! longest long run since the marathon!) all by my lonesome.
I wasn't looking forward to it especially, but it turned out fine, despite several signs which suggested otherwise:
I ran on the W & OD Trail, which crosses a small creek (a run) called difficult. But I was still entertained (remember, the further I run, the more easily I'm entertained!).
And one to warn rollerbladers about a steep section (fortunately, it was just about the only steep section, but it was definitely steep. I was very glad I wasn't rollerblading, but I was a little annoyed because there didn't seem to be any reason for the hill--if I'm going to have to over a hill, I at least want the hill to exist for a reason!).
I wasn't looking forward to it especially, but it turned out fine, despite several signs which suggested otherwise:
I ran on the W & OD Trail, which crosses a small creek (a run) called difficult. But I was still entertained (remember, the further I run, the more easily I'm entertained!).
And one to warn rollerbladers about a steep section (fortunately, it was just about the only steep section, but it was definitely steep. I was very glad I wasn't rollerblading, but I was a little annoyed because there didn't seem to be any reason for the hill--if I'm going to have to over a hill, I at least want the hill to exist for a reason!).
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
And Another One
This jacket was the first time I got to knit with Martha, Schaefer's wool, angora and cashmere blend. it's just as soft as it sounds (I'm wearing the Garnstudio jacket I knit with it as we speak... as I type?... and it's lovely too!).
Anyway--back to the pattern!
What's fun about this one, besides the yarn, is the texture. I used 2 related slip stitch patterns. Most of the sweater is half linen stitch (I may have made up the name), where you slip stitches with the yarn in front on the right side only. But under the bust and around the cuff, there's linen stitch, where you slip stitches on both right side and wrong side rows. The fabric is denser and less stretchy, and reinforces those spots nicely.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Sizes: S (M, L, XL)
Finished Measurements: 35 (39, 42, 46) inches at bust
Materials: About 1300 (1450, 1600, 1750) yards DK-weight yarn. Sample knit from 4 skeins of Schaefer Yarn Martha (80% lambswool, 10% cashmere, 10% dehaired angora; 4 oz. [113 g] / 330 yds [300 m])
1 pair US size 8 [5 mm] straight needles
Tapestry needle
Hook and eye
Sewing needle and thread to match yarn
Gauge: 22 sts / 28 rows = 4 inches in half linen stitch.
Price: $6.00 for a PDF
This one's also available through Etsy or right here.
Anyway--back to the pattern!
What's fun about this one, besides the yarn, is the texture. I used 2 related slip stitch patterns. Most of the sweater is half linen stitch (I may have made up the name), where you slip stitches with the yarn in front on the right side only. But under the bust and around the cuff, there's linen stitch, where you slip stitches on both right side and wrong side rows. The fabric is denser and less stretchy, and reinforces those spots nicely.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Sizes: S (M, L, XL)
Finished Measurements: 35 (39, 42, 46) inches at bust
Materials: About 1300 (1450, 1600, 1750) yards DK-weight yarn. Sample knit from 4 skeins of Schaefer Yarn Martha (80% lambswool, 10% cashmere, 10% dehaired angora; 4 oz. [113 g] / 330 yds [300 m])
1 pair US size 8 [5 mm] straight needles
Tapestry needle
Hook and eye
Sewing needle and thread to match yarn
Gauge: 22 sts / 28 rows = 4 inches in half linen stitch.
Price: $6.00 for a PDF
This one's also available through Etsy or right here.
Ripples
Here's another of my patterns for Schaefer Yarns, finally switched over to my format (well... to The Garter Belt format). This blanket was also part of my "handpainted thick-n-thin yarn in garter stitch" phase (a phase which may return at any moment, since there's something very satisfying about that combination!).
You can't fully see it in this picture, but the blanket looks like 4 panels of garter stitch on the bias, although the sections were actually formed by increasing and decreasing across a single row.
And look how squishy the fabric is!
Difficulty: Easy
Finished Measurements: 34 X 38 (34 x 44) inches
Materials: About 900 (1200) yards thick-n-thin worsted
weight yarn. Sample knit from 1! skeins Schaefer
Yarn Nancy (95% merino wool, 5% nylon; 8 oz /
600 yds)
US size 9 (5.5 mm) circular needle, or size
needed to obtain gauge
3 st markers
Scrap yarn or st holder
Gauge: 16 sts/32 rows = 4 inches in garter st
Price: $4.00
Buy the PDF here, or through Etsy.
You can't fully see it in this picture, but the blanket looks like 4 panels of garter stitch on the bias, although the sections were actually formed by increasing and decreasing across a single row.
And look how squishy the fabric is!
Difficulty: Easy
Finished Measurements: 34 X 38 (34 x 44) inches
Materials: About 900 (1200) yards thick-n-thin worsted
weight yarn. Sample knit from 1! skeins Schaefer
Yarn Nancy (95% merino wool, 5% nylon; 8 oz /
600 yds)
US size 9 (5.5 mm) circular needle, or size
needed to obtain gauge
3 st markers
Scrap yarn or st holder
Gauge: 16 sts/32 rows = 4 inches in garter st
Price: $4.00
Buy the PDF here, or through Etsy.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Blah
There's been a not-really-striped sweater crisis: I was cheerfully working 2-row stripes of three colors, when I realized that I don't actually have 2 skeins of each of 3 colors, I have 2 skeins of each of 2 colors and 1 skein of each of 2 more colors. (Not A, A, B, B, C, C, but A, A, B, B, C, D.) This is problematic because I'd been working alternating 2-row stripes: AABBCCAABBCC, etc. This works fine if you have an equal amount of 3 colors, but with only half as much of 2 colors it would need to be AABBCCAABBDD (or I guess AABBCDAABBCD, but 1-row stripes lead to a lot of ends).
I emailed Cheryl in a panic, and she's mailing me what we hope is a second skein of the third color... but in the meantime I've started working on the project in line after this sweater. This is a fourth project (even if we accept that the wreath is officially on hold, and so does not count), which I usually try to avoid, but I like to think it's justified because if the new skein doesn't work I'll have to unravel the 2 sleeves I've done so far and start again.
In that context it's more responsible (rather than a sign of being easily distracted) to start working on the thing with the second deadline to free up time later in the process which can be re-allocated to the striped sweater, rather than continuing to work on the socks and shawl (for myself, with no deadline) that I already had going... Right? (I can't really say more yet about Second Thing, unfortunately. Except that it is not a baby anything, so don't get your hopes up, Anna.)
Too bad none of these things are Nob Hill, huh?
And that none of them are skirts (with which I've also become obsessed).
It was a short(er) long run this weekend--12 miles instead of 17 (last week) or 20 (next week). I'm signed up to run the Vermont City Marathon on my birthday (May 25), because isn't that how everyone wants to spend her birthday? (Last year, I think we signed up for a metric century ride for my birthday, but it wasn't on the actual day). Oh look, the Massachusetts Sheep and Wool Fair is that weekend. How convenient that Cummington is between New Haven and Burlington! And that in addition to birthday wool I may need reward-in-advance wool for the marathon. Or maybe a reward-in-advance sheep? Or an angora bunny?
I emailed Cheryl in a panic, and she's mailing me what we hope is a second skein of the third color... but in the meantime I've started working on the project in line after this sweater. This is a fourth project (even if we accept that the wreath is officially on hold, and so does not count), which I usually try to avoid, but I like to think it's justified because if the new skein doesn't work I'll have to unravel the 2 sleeves I've done so far and start again.
In that context it's more responsible (rather than a sign of being easily distracted) to start working on the thing with the second deadline to free up time later in the process which can be re-allocated to the striped sweater, rather than continuing to work on the socks and shawl (for myself, with no deadline) that I already had going... Right? (I can't really say more yet about Second Thing, unfortunately. Except that it is not a baby anything, so don't get your hopes up, Anna.)
Too bad none of these things are Nob Hill, huh?
And that none of them are skirts (with which I've also become obsessed).
It was a short(er) long run this weekend--12 miles instead of 17 (last week) or 20 (next week). I'm signed up to run the Vermont City Marathon on my birthday (May 25), because isn't that how everyone wants to spend her birthday? (Last year, I think we signed up for a metric century ride for my birthday, but it wasn't on the actual day). Oh look, the Massachusetts Sheep and Wool Fair is that weekend. How convenient that Cummington is between New Haven and Burlington! And that in addition to birthday wool I may need reward-in-advance wool for the marathon. Or maybe a reward-in-advance sheep? Or an angora bunny?
Thursday, March 13, 2008
I am Not Amused
I want to start a million new things (beginning with Nob Hill, from the new Knitty, of which I am suddenly and unreasonably fond). Not very conducive to finishing the so-called striped sweater (which I need to finish because there's another project with a deadline lined up after it).
Also, it's eventually going to be spring, and the yarn which is speaking to me for Nob Hill is wool--I noticed the other day that my teal-y navy handspun from last fall coordinates very nicely with the darkest blue of the the yarn I bought in Peru, and maybe if I knit them together it would turn into the right gauge for Nob Hill. Maybe it would save me from the slow, painful process of preparing the Peru yarn for lace knitting... did I write about this? The yarn is actually three singles held together--not plied, but the fibers cling to each other a bit. And it's not all one piece (or rather, not all three pieces). It's in pieces 10 or 12 yards long, which are then knotted together.
I would have figured it out if I'd inspected it at all (it was sold without any kind of label in an open air market, but I think this must be how it's supposed to be, although I can't quite figure out why the 3 plies and short sections are a good idea). But I didn't, and so I've had to unwind a section, pull the plies apart, wind them up by hand, then wind them again into one ball by spit-splicing the pieces together. It's a lot of prep work! I worked through 1 of the smaller balls before Christmas--but there are 3 more small ones and 1 big one yet to go. I love the colors, but all that unwinding and rewinding makes me not want to use it!
But maybe I could use some of the darkest blue (of which I have the most) in Nob Hill, then unwinding, rewinding twice, and splicing what's left wouldn't seem so insurmountable!
If only I felt like I could start another project!
(For the records, I currently have 3 projects going: the socks and sweater from this morning's post, and the shawl that's trying to kill me. Plus the wreath that's officially on hold so it doesn't count.)
Also, it's eventually going to be spring, and the yarn which is speaking to me for Nob Hill is wool--I noticed the other day that my teal-y navy handspun from last fall coordinates very nicely with the darkest blue of the the yarn I bought in Peru, and maybe if I knit them together it would turn into the right gauge for Nob Hill. Maybe it would save me from the slow, painful process of preparing the Peru yarn for lace knitting... did I write about this? The yarn is actually three singles held together--not plied, but the fibers cling to each other a bit. And it's not all one piece (or rather, not all three pieces). It's in pieces 10 or 12 yards long, which are then knotted together.
I would have figured it out if I'd inspected it at all (it was sold without any kind of label in an open air market, but I think this must be how it's supposed to be, although I can't quite figure out why the 3 plies and short sections are a good idea). But I didn't, and so I've had to unwind a section, pull the plies apart, wind them up by hand, then wind them again into one ball by spit-splicing the pieces together. It's a lot of prep work! I worked through 1 of the smaller balls before Christmas--but there are 3 more small ones and 1 big one yet to go. I love the colors, but all that unwinding and rewinding makes me not want to use it!
But maybe I could use some of the darkest blue (of which I have the most) in Nob Hill, then unwinding, rewinding twice, and splicing what's left wouldn't seem so insurmountable!
If only I felt like I could start another project!
(For the records, I currently have 3 projects going: the socks and sweater from this morning's post, and the shawl that's trying to kill me. Plus the wreath that's officially on hold so it doesn't count.)
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