Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Pre-Holiday Knitting Update

I've managed to make better progress on my Knit Unto Others hats--yes, you read that right, HATS!


If I'd had DPNs on the train with me Monday night, I would have finished the one on the right. (It's a plum/purple, even though the picture doesn't look it.) Now all that's left is tieing off the top and weaving the ends in. Then after I got home, I cast on the pink one and started knitting at the dentist yesterday morning. (Yeah, I'm still not done with the whole dentist thing. Yesterday was a temporary crown for the root canal tooth. In three weeks I go back for the permanent crown.)

Here I am modeling the purple hat.

Zee hat... she is mysterious, oui?

Just think of the DPNs as a design element...

These are going so quickly I might be able to make a third one before the 30th. Woo-hoo!

I'd like to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that you're able to spend time with those you are dearest to you. I'm going to be spending Thanksgiving day with my mother and youngest sister. Then, after a brief trip to the office Friday morning (ugh!) I'm heading up north to Vermont to spend the rest of the weekend (which I'm extending through Tuesday) with my honey! And... on Sunday we're heading down to another meeting in Massachusetts and we're gonna get to see Carole and her honey! And, you know, there it's possible that I might even stop at a yarn store, or two, or more? Maybe??? Of course!

Monday, November 21, 2005

You might be an obsessive knitter...

...if one of the criteria for buying a new handbag is... will it hold a 14" needle?


Bingo!

I'm so bad...

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Knit Unto Others

I only have time for a quick blog posting today, but I wanted to give Carole and Margene a shout out for their charity knit along, Knit Unto Others. I've been putting off doing charity knitting 'cause between work and the gift knitting, I couldn't bring myself to start another project. But the short duration (2 weeks) of this knit along nudged me into action. So, I'm using some stash yarn to make at least one hat--Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Super Chunky that I got for half price. I originally thought I'd do something for my nieces with this, but there are so many other things I want to make for them, I think this would be better used for a soft, warm, pretty hat for someone. (My hat(s) are going to Ann's efforts to help tornado victims.) I'm using a hat pattern out of The Yarn Girls' first book. After doing a little gauge swatching Thursday night, I cast on yesterday morning and managed to get this done last night at the movies.


That's just about 4 inches of ribbing. By the way, this was the first time that I've done knitting in a movie theater! While watching a movie! In the dark!!! (I saw "Pride and Prejudice." Great movie!) And I only messed up three stitches in the ribbing! Easy fix. This morning I finished the ribbing and switched to stockinette, and I'm figuring that I'll have I should have it finished by Wednesday. Big yarn + no seaming = quick project!

So, Knit Unto Others runs through November 30th, so if you've got a some time and yarn, why not knit a little something for someone in need?

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Sunday in Connecticut with Jim

Yes, Jim and I did indeed go to Fabric Place Sunday morning. He wound up purchasing some fabric to be used as table coverings in the LHA’s sutlery. I walked out with this:


Actually, there are two of the green ones. I’m going to give those to one of my sisters for Christmas. The other skank skein (Dusty Olive) is for me. I’m so bad…

I couldn’t help myself. Look at all that Malabrigo!

After the Fabric Place visit, we ran some errands and then made a trip to Ikea in New Haven. Jim’s never been to Ikea before and since we were only 25 miles north of the store, I thought, what the heck.

It’s a bigger store than the one we have on Long Island. Jim liked it, in particular the kitchen setups. This kitchen island was his favorite.

Look at those drawers for the pots! I could keep my Le Creuset dutch ovens in those!

Well, despite all the looking we did, we were good and didn’t purchase anything—this time. I did see several potential yarn/fiber containers that I liked. If I ever decide that I really need to organize my yarn stash, I’ll have to make a trip back.

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This Sunday is my finishing class at The Point. I finished up my homework swatches last week. (Early at something, for a change.) Today I found two e-mail from The Point noting that there were errors in the homework instructions.

That’s one of my big knitting pet peeves—typos in the instructions. How do you let something like that get out? My first project for myself—the alpaca scarf—had a typo in the instructions for the 10-row pattern. I contacted Webs once I discovered the error for correction, and although it took a little while to get back to me, they did indeed confirm the error and gave me a fix. But then they said told me that they had been giving that pattern out for a long time and this was the first time anyone reported a problem. I don’t get it. Do people just wing it and whatever happens happens? Well, that’s not me. If you’re gonna put out technical instructions, make sure that they’re right, and if an error is found, fix it for God’s sake!
OK, I’m done with my little rant.

So, I’ve ripped out the error laden swatch, but I’m still not sure the revised instructions are correct, so I’m going to call them today. The math just isn’t working. Hopefully I can get this resolved today so that I can re-finish this in time for the class.

In the meantime, I leave you a picture of my new lace weight skanks skeins with my barn coat. The colors are lovely, yes? I can’t wait to get started on these…

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Another weekend out of the office!

Woohoo!!!

Yesterday we had the Living History Association's annual meeting up in Ivoryton, Connecticut. (We meaning the organization that my significant other runs and I'm on the Board of Directors of.) Originally I had planned to take Friday off and stop in some yarn shops before checking in to the hotel. Sadly, I couldn't do that but I did manage to get out a little early and with little traffic on the road (holiday) got up to the hotel around 8pm. And you know what's right across the street from my hotel?


Fabric Place! And you know what's they've got? Yarn!!! Lots of yarn!!! Lots of different brands of yarn! They're yarn department is the equivilant of a LYS. And usually something on sale! So, of course, I had to stop and see what they've got. First off, all needles and hooks were 20% off, so I scored myself some size 0 Brittany DPNs to fill out my needle stash. Then, all the Classic Elite yarns were 20% off, so I started poking around to see if there was anything I needed.

Well, as I'm wondering around the aisles I turned around and suddenly came face to face with this:

YARN CRACK! MALABRIGO! A whole bunch of it! Like, 13 different colors! I didn't know that they carried this! The women in the department told me that they started selling it a couple of months ago, and the first time they put it out they sold it out instantly. (What a shock--not!) Of course, I had to fondle touch it, and that was it. (Classic Elite? What Classic Elite?) It wasn't a question of whether I would buy it, but what I would buy. Here's what came out of the store with me:

This is Stonechat. (I had trouble choosing between this and Dusy Olive.) Isn't she beautiful? Look at her posing some more...

Look at her basking in the morning sunlight...

Ahhh... Malabrigo...


I'm not too crazy obsessed, am I? Jim keeps laughing at me because of how I can't stop fondling caressing touching this yarn. Between you and me, he doesn't get it. Even though I'm making him an arm sock out of this stuff, he still doesn't get it.

Oh--and to make this even better... While I'm walking around, a knitting group that was meeting at the store suddenly swarmed the department. I wound up on the checkout line behind some of them. Well, after I left the store I took a look at my receipt and discovered they had taken 10% off the price of the yarn (which was at a fair price to start)! They must have given the discount to that group and thought I was with them. Score!!!

Anyway, she's going to be arm warmers--either the Morehouse pattern I have or the Hurry Up Spring Armwarmers from Stitch and Bitch Nation. Once the Christmas gift knitting is done, she's going straight to the top of the list.

They had so many other colors... maybe I should pick up some as a Christmas gift for my sister?

Hotel check out is 11am. Fabric Place opens back up at noon. Think I could convince Jim to stop in for just a few minutes?

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Long time, no blog

Well, this is our busy time of the year, so despite my best efforts it's been over a week since my last post. But I'll try to make up for it now with a WIP update.

I must say that even though my commute is long, I'm truly grateful for all the time I get to knit (when I can keep my eyes open). Here's my handy dandy commuting kit from last night.

From left to right, the New York Post (best entertainment value for 25 cents), watch cap for Mom's boyfriend, Project "Bluesocks" for little sister.

I started the watch cap back in the spring, but I've been bad about working on it lately. However, now with Christmas looming I'm going to make the effort to get it done. It's a simple 2x2 rib--I should be able to do it in my sleep! And the socks--the heel flaps are just about done. I haven't tried the socks on yet, but will probably do so before I turn the heel, just to make sure they're OK. (Sis and I have about the same shoe size.) Here's a close up photo of them:

I gotta start knitting some lighter colored stuff. I'm really liking the yarn on these, and I've got four balls in red waiting for me after the holidays.

I've been booking along on "pink cable" for my younger niece. The back is done and I'm about half done with the front. (Sorry, I don't have any pictures but will try to post some this weekend.) Little girl + bulky yarn = quick project! I'm going to hold off on assembling both their sweaters because on Sunday, November 20th... drum roll, please... I'm taking a finishing class at The Point! I'm so psyched! They gave us swatching homework to do before the class, which I'm almost done with. Barbara Kerr is teaching the class, and I'm finally going to learn how to do a three-needle bind-off, sleve attachment, and other cool stuff.

Of course, I couldn't let a week go by without purchasing some yarn, too. At lunch yesterday I decided that I just had to buy a skein of laceweight merino for another scarf from Morehouse Farm Merino at their stand in the Union Square Greenmarket.

The market is just two stops away on the L train. So easy to get to during lunch. You understand, don't you? (Please, please play along...)

After a walk through the market, I came away with some apples, a cup of hot cider, and this:

Yeah, I know, that's two skeins. But the colors looked so nice with my new coat! You'd have done the same thing, you know...

Anyway, I'll leave you with this picture from the market. Nothing beats farm fresh produce.


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Today's the 230th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corp. My late
father served in the Corp and was a proud Marine.
Semper Fi, Dad!