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knitting: commentary
31 aug 2003 bits'n'pieces
i think we have finally cleared the hurdle of what we are referring to as the sars-lite episode of '03. first jim, then me, then jim again, then sophie. we are all still coughing now and again but nothing as bad as it had been. and on top of it, it is still bloody hot; we're in the middle of a record setting run of 70+ days, and haven't seen a lick of rain in i can't remember how long. very odd for the pacific northwest.
in any event, there is actual knitting content, though not much of substance. i've found a new stress-busting activity for the office--knitting tiny little swatches of what i think might be wool, and then furiously handfelting in the ladies room. you can get quite a bit of frustration out in the few minutes it takes to find out of the fiber is indeed feltable.
this is sophie's dog, daughter, modelling her new collar. there is also a leash somewhere for sophie and i will make another for daughter as well. sophie is going through an "i am a dog" phase and rather than watch her wrap any number of strangulating things around her neck when she wants to be taken for a walk, i knit something that won't choke her and will slip off with no effort at all. it's not completely safe, but i only let her play with it when i am around.
the alpaca scarf, which has been relagated to knitting in meetings status. you'd think it would be much longer what with all the meetings i've been in of late, but i've been writing more than knitting. good for business, bad for scarf.
while watching baseball the other night, i impulsively picked up these and started a very big swatch. i wanted to play with random rows of knit and purl, interspersed with my interpretation of ruching. it looks quite nice, but i'm not sure i have the stick-to-it-ness to turn it into a scarf or anything else right now.
and finally, because she will not let me forget it, sophie's little purse. i should finish the knitting tonight or tomorrow, then off to the washing machine for more felting fun. i do quite like the little bags made like this, i think there are more in the future.
24 aug 2003 the mission falls experiment
just how long can you work on a three colour vest without cutting any of the skeins? this far:
actually, if i'd planned just a little better, i might have been able to do the whole thing without bringing in the scissors, but i lost my patience less than an inch from the end.
thanks to a little good luck, a little online encouragement [thanks kerrie!] and a nasty cold/virus thing that left me wanting to do nothing but cook comfort food [cream of potato soup and cinnamon bread pudding] and knit, i've just about finished the mission falls experiment. next up: some fastenings, a lot of weaving, and a good blocking.
21 aug 2003 a d d
i am studiously ignoring my mother's vest. truly, i want to work on it, yarnovers and all, but it requires quiet time and i seem to be all out of it. maybe next week. so, instead i have been picking up some short attention span projects.
1. a quick scarf out of colinette giotto. i absolutely adore this yarn but it was a bit of a pain to knit; i kept catching the points of the needles in the tiny little threads of the ribbon. but never disastrously, so all is well. it's also fairly heavy, so my dreams of a top in this yarn have been downgraded to a tank top, and even that is iffy. i hated the way the traditional bind-off looked, so i did the sewing/backstitch thing instead, on all 200+ stitches. that was a pain, though strangely satisfying.
but isn't she pretty? i haven't blocked, nor pressed, but it still looks gorgeous.
2. jim's alpaca scarf. winter will be here before i know it, so i better get this going. i've never knit with 100% alpaca before -- it's very hairy! but also very soft. i was going to work some cables, but the test swatch looked too fuzzy so i think plain and simple is the way to go.
3. the mission falls experiment. i wanted to see if i liked the yarn. i just meant to buy one ball, but suddenly three were in my hands. then i just meant to swatch, but sudddenly i was knitting away. i have vague thoughts about a vest for sophie, but am not sure i have enough yarn, so i am doing some creative carrying and both ends of ball knitting so i don't have to cut any of the skeins.
16 aug 2003 record time
all the pieces for layette number 7 are knit. now i just need a little seaming and a lot of sewing on i-cords, and it is complete. maybe tonight, if i feel like sewing, though there is no rush on this one.
today there was very little knitting as we decided to go ride the train in snoqualmie. sophie loves trains, and she loves the ice cream we go for afterwards. and during the course of the trip, she decided she loves my little felted bag. i promised to make her a sophie-sized one, so i need to get on that; she never forgets these things. i have some bright pink brown sheep lamb's pride somewhere that should work perfectly.
12 aug 2003 seven
for no apparent reason, other than i was flipping through baby patterns, i decided i absolutely must start layette number 7. and look! it is flying off the needles. one more sleeve, and a few ties, and the minimono will be done. i've already scoped out the booties i want to knit, so now i just need to decide on a hat. i may well finish before the week is over. then again, i may well not. but it is fairly simple and unlike my mother's vest, i don't need to constantly shush the child whilst knitting.
mousies? mousies! for wendy's mousealong, of course. they turn out to be the perfect meeting project. i can make one during the average hour long meeting and so i shall. my company actually encourages me to knit during meetings; they know i still pay attention, i contribute as much or more than ever, and i am much less likely to be snarky. knitting, it's a good influence.
08 aug 2003 in the bag
it is the perfect size -- big enough for wallet and camera, small enough to not be cumbersome. more details can be found on its project page: felted fib.
07 aug 2003 one down, one to go, one right out the window
pre-felt:
post-felt:
it looks as though the mama will be out of town on her birthday, which gives me a little leeway in finishing her vest. nevertheless, i've cast on and completed one round [4 rows] of the pattern. so far so good, though it is entirely too early to know if the gauge thing is going to be okay. i don't know if i'll ever be a lace knitter -- the whole yarn over thing kinda gets on my nerves. maybe when i do more of them and the movement becomes more fluid, i'll feel differently.
to be filed under "why did i ever think this might be a good idea?": knitting with plastic shopping bags. i'm all for recycling, but i think this will not be added to my reduce reuse recycle repertoire. i do know how to cut a bag into one long strip of plastic now; that may come in handy someday.
05 aug 2003 the bag
my oh my! this bag is knitting up so very quickly. i could finish tonight but i think i'll wait for tomorrow. more then...
04 aug 2003 progress
all the pieces are complete for jim's mom's cardigan. shoulders seamed and collar knit. it is very cute and the shape is excellent and it fits me like a dream. which means it will most likely be too small for jim's mom. so, i knit up side panels in seed stitch to make it wider, or i keep it for me and knit her another in record time. it's is nigh on impossible to get a good picture of this -- not only is it dark, but it seems to suck in any available light, maybe i should call it the black hole cardigan.
i also finished the small scarf in the vittadini yarn. it is exactly 4 times as long as what you see in this picture, which is entirely too short to be of any use. so, rippety rip rip rip and i'll make it skinnier so it can at least be wrapped around the neck once. shouldn't take too long.
and finally, i have been analyzing the stash, looking for things to use up and christmas presents to make, and voila! the makings of a small felted bag. if it turns out okay, it may end up being the christmas present of choice.
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