Dear Knit Picks Options,

Why are you so pointy?

Granted, I am a pusher...

But, there is no warning label on your package for impalement due to repeated pressure on the points of your small skewers.

--S

how I spent my 4th of July

watching a four hour movie about Tom Petty (and the Heartbreakers)

finishing the Torrey Pines Great Plains Socks (the name has changed because I finished the second sock while helping my husband with his great plains software upgrade on July 3)


finishing the noname cardigan (more info and pictures once washed)


watching live from abbey road (panic at the disco, david gray, suzanne vega)

casting on for cabled socks with my JoAnn Fabrics $1.97 clearance Moda Dea Washable Wool (score! 2 yellow, 2 orange)


watching a movie about the Pixies reunion tour (one degree of separation - my old boyfriend painted Kim/Kelly Deal's parents' house)

Next Up:


I will be swatching today for Butterfly (really? you haven't bought it yet? ;-) ) using the very pretty Laurel.

crick in my neck

My neck had been hurting for about four days before we went to the U.S. Open.

Mrs. Smartypants decided to wear a hooded sweatshirt and bring knitting - I knit watching golf at home, why not knit and watch live?

I stored the yarn in the handwarmer pouch of the sweatshirt.

I thought I was all that AND a bag of chips.

I'm calling these Torrey Pines socks - I started on two circulars - but now that my new KnitPicks US2 32" - I'll be finishing them on those!

It was a lot more interesting than I had expected - we got to see lots of famous golfers.

The biggest surprise was VJ Singh - he is much thinner in person!!

On the bus ride back to our car, I sat next to Dave and put my head in his lap for a nap.

When I awoke, I couldn't turn my head - you know the kind - the kind that has you reaching for the largest dose of pain killer available in your purse.

We went to dinner with some friends that night and I had to apologize for looking like I had a stick up my a$$. Everytime I needed to turn and look at somebody, I had to do a full-on body turn.

Two weeks later - it still hurts - everyone at work is amazed, "It STILL hurts?"

Yesterday I told the doctor that I work all day on a computer, and then I go home and knit all night - my lifestyle isn't really conducive to NOT having a stiff neck.

The doctor said that it just takes time to heal - gave me a prescription for muscle relaxants, and neck exercises, and a physical therapy prescription if I wanted it.

I don't really have time to be going to physical therapy - there are 48 days to Go Live - and only 50% of the documentation is completed.

And I told the doctor that I've never taken muscle relaxants - so I'm opting for the exercises, ice, and pain reliever.

I am hoping I have enough of my cone of yarn to finish this nonameyet cardigan:

It's hard to make out what the mess is - I'm knitting it from the bottom up - and I just attached the sleeves. Now I'm decreasing for raglan sleeves.

I created the pattern using my Knitware software - and it states that I need to decrease on every third row - so I had to do a bunch of research this weekend to make sure that I was going to do decreases on the purl side with the correct slant.

And I already have two additional projects lined up.

I'm going to do

Butterfly with this yarn:

Knit Picks Shine Worsted in Laurel

It's much more green than I expected!

And my friend finally picked out her yarn for a blanket that I want to make her for her new home.

She likes this pattern - so I'm going to convert it into a blanket using the yarn that the pattern calls for - Lion Brand Cotton Ease, Charcoal.

deja vu all over again

sorry, I'm hijacking the usual knitting content for some smart stuff

Milan, 14 months ago

South Orange County, 13 months after registering, and today premium gas was $4.64!!

ok back to the usual knitting stuff

yarn goodness

Crystal Palace Yarn, Panda Cotton, which is a misnomer, because the highest fiber content is Bamboo.

This is to recreate a pair of socks that I bought at The Limited, when I was in high school. The socks are still in great shape, I just want another pair!!

33

the number of grams of the yellow yarn that remained when I finished



Windowpane sock #1

this is a good thing!
there are 50 g in the CC skein.

I was pretty worried that I wouldn't have enough for the second sock.
So, I weighed it before I started and before I cut the skein.

And this is the afghan I finished for my mother-in-law over Memorial Day weekend.



I really do know how to use the flash.
It's just really hard to try and show the detail of these afghans because of the crazy yarns that are used.
This mix of yarns were two colours of Homespun that she picked out herself.

a magical memorial day

When I woke up this morning, a little before 10 a.m., I lounged in bed, my favourite thing to do, and then I thought to myself, "What better way to spend my day off than learning The Magic Loop method for knitting socks!"

I pulled out:

• The Magic Loop book that I purchased last year.
• My KnitPicks 32" US 3 circular needle.
• A left over skein of Argosy Luxury Yarns Lotus Blossom (from my Spiral Boot sock)

I proceeded to, don't fall over, read the directions.
And then I, don't fall over again, followed the instructions.

I practiced and practiced and then decided that I would KICK it up a notch!
I wanted to learn how to cast on for a toe up sock using the magic loop method.

I flipped to the back of the book and began to read the instructions.
They didn't make any sense to me.

So I went to Ravelry to find a different cast on method for the magic loop and

1. Read my mesages.
2. Read the replies to my posts {other ravelers want to join my group!}.
3. Searched for Douceur et Soie yarn - was anyone selling their stash? because I need about 7 skeins of a mohair/silk blend for Lucetta and Rowan's Kid Silk Haze is a bit pricey.
4. Searched for Douceur et Soie yarn online - who sells it? what's the best price?
5. Remembered that I had originally gone to Ravelry to find a better way to cast on other than the Figure 8 method.
6. Searched on the Ravelry Wiki pages for cast on methods, didn't find anything.
7. Went to the Forums and searched for "Figure 8 cast on."
8. Found posts in the Magic Loop Group - people were singing the praises of Judy's Magic Cast-On.

I asked Dave to help me because I couldn't figure it out.
I went back to The Magic Loop instructions, and suddenly it all made sense!

I'm thrilled! I just pulled on the loose stitches to get them tighter and I'm swooning!

this time with flash

before I ripped, I checked to see how other ravelers' windowpane socks were going.

some VERY smart knitter used a larger needle

so as I was ripping and feeling sorry for myself, I got down to the last two rows before the ribbing and decided to pick up the stitches with a US2

I'm happy to say that things are going much better

it's still a little tight over my heel, but I'm going to continue

windowpane, take 2

finished, and R.I.P.

Finished: Warm Thoughts, Paton design,
Patons Decor in Aran and Chocolate
US 11
Mailed priority to my father on a Saturday, received on a Monday!


R.I.P.: Windowpane Socks
Interweave Knits Summer 08
Koigu KPPM in Charcoal and a pretty speckled yellow
US 1

won' t.fit.over.my.heel.

I'm on my last skein for the afghan for Norma.

I'm off now to find a new project.

loving lilac lace

I should have had my photographer snap FOs of me giving myself a pedicure:

Drops Design 74-2
Yarn: Cascade Pima Melange (discontinued), 4 skeins
Needles: US 6, 7, and 3

Modifications:
Omitted the lace pattern #1 on the back.
Substituted two yarn overs with garter on either side for the straps (the pattern called for garter stitch only).

Front detail:

Back detail:

Entire front detail:

Seeing as how it was 98 degrees today, I'm now officially ready for summer.

And Qatar, take two:

Please don't hate me, SophiaRowan, the flag is slightly larger than the specs.
Anyone know how to shrink acrylic?

lilac lace love

lace detail

front finished


I just bound off about 20 minutes ago.
yesterday I couldn't cast on fast enough, now I can't wait to finish!
I went down needle sizes to get a better gauge and knit the size M.
I'm going to alter the straps, which are supposed to be done in garter. I'm thinking that the lace is so pretty that it should continue up the straps somehow.
Other than that - followed the pattern in its entirety.

lilac change

this yarn





was originally meant for this project







but when searching this morning on ravelry for a pattern for this yarn







I saw this pattern







and couldn't cast on fast enough

any guesses?

as to why I'll doing another flag for Qatar?

C'mon...did you all notice right away and not have the heart to tell me?

I can handle it.

Really.

Qatar Flag, Take Two.

Welcome Back Qatar

Unblocked in all its curliness.

Seriously, this took me a few hours.

Make a flag. Or just promote peace the best way you know how.

w in westwood

so nice...

I wore it twice!

yesterday to brunch at the W hotel
and today to work.
so soft
so yummy
is it too much information to say that I petted myself all day
;-)

Rebecca Lace Sweater #40, Rebecca #30
Zen 4-ply, Argosy Luxury Yarn, hand-dyed for and to match The Starfish Shawl by Norah Gaughan
US 7

spring knitting

I just finished the Rebecca lace sweater - it's blocking - so no pictures yet!

It came out really nice - I am very pleased!

I'm now left figuring out what my next projet will be.

These are high on my consideration list:

Super Simple Wrap Jacket/Interweave pattern/bone cotton

Hooded Cardigan/Vogue Knitting pattern/light blue cotton-linen

Fitted Top with pattern/Drops/lilac cotton

I got my VK this week and really liked this dress

but I would do the skirt only - maybe in my hemp

and sew in a gauzey fabric.

Kristine's Friend's Baby Sweater

Kristine is a co-worker, who has always taken an interest in my knitting projects.
When she mentioned that she had a baby shower coming up, I offered to knit something for her.

I really wanted her input for the project. I gave her Knit Picks and Herrschnerrs catalogs - so that she could pick out her own yarn and what she wanted the piece to look like. She showed me a picture that she liked - a cardigan with a collar.

She promised she'd pick out the yarn she wanted...time went by.
I told her that I needed to buy some yarn, so we could order together...no response.

So two weeks ago, when it was already too late to order yarn online and have it shipped and for me to knit the piece in time for the baby shower this weekend, I took matters into my own hands and picked out yarn at JoAnn's.

I bought the yarn on a Saturday and knit practically the entire thing by Sunday.

On Tuesday I showed her that it was almost done and she totally freaked.
"Oh my G-d! I can't believe you knit it already! I was so worried that I hadn't talked to you about the yarn! And you went and picked out the yarn yourself! It's so cute! Oh my G-d!"

She proceeded to show it to all the IT guys in our cube row - they all smiled politely and nodded.

Friday we went to pick out buttons.
I some sailboat buttons and showed them to her, because they were a good color match.

She says, "The guy I'm friends with that's having the baby, we used to be on crew together. And I've sailed him and his wife several times."

And so, a baby sweater is born.


My own personal pattern created with Knitware.
Size 18 mos. (Because she said that both the parents are over 6' tall!)
Stockinette cardigan with K2, P1 ribbing
Knit in one piece from the bottom up.
Lion Brand Cotton Ease, Lake, 1.5 skeins. US 6 and US 8.

Boatneck Sweater

Boatneck Sweater #21 from Knit.1, Fall 2007
Lion Brand Cotton Ease, Charcoal - @4.5 skeins
US 7

why I insisted that this picture be taken in the kitchen*?
I think it had something to do with the lighting

this sweater is really comfy and super fast and easy to knit
the only thing that I would do differently is when seaming the sleeves to the front and back - do it more loosely so that the top of the sleeve would curl with the front and back

very high happiness rating for this piece - it's something I can wear a lot and is easy to wash and wear!

*say, "Bye, bye kitchen." - new one coming soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hey, I wrote an article!

you know I love that knit-a-flag cause....

it happened so fast I can't believe it's already up.

I wrote it last night, and today I'm in webprint!

Check out all the peaceniks on Ravelry!

Even better than a flag of the Earth

In our neighborhood, people are pretty patriotic.
And if you know anything about Orange County, CA, you know that being patriotic is usually synonymous with certain political leanings.

My husband used to say to me, "We should put up a flag, everyone else is putting up a flag."
I retorted with, "The only flag I would EVER put on my house is flag of the EARTH."

So when I read on Ravelry about KnotMagick's art thesis idea, I knew immediately that I wanted to be involved.

For her art thesis, "The idea is this: a flag for every nation of the world, sewn together to make a large quilt. At the center would be the words 'Let there be Peace on Earth.' I think it would be much more meaningful if it was a group project, rather than an individual one."


Finally a flag I can be PROUD of!

A quick search of this list, while looking at pictures of every country's flag, led me to decide on Qatar.



linkback



I wanted something that would be only two to three colours, but still offer a slight challenge.


I found a .jpg of the flag and used KnitPro to make a chart.


My flag isn't due until September 1st, but I've already printed the chart and am trying to figure out what yarn to use!

There are still countries that need volunteer flag creators...

Go on! Be part of a greater good!

Beaded Cami Mods

A long, long time ago I promised to put up my mods to Black Dog Designs Beaded Cami.

Since Stitches West, a few people have inquired about my version,

which is heavily based on this version.

Here are my Beaded Cami Mods for use with Argosy Luxury Yarns, Bonsai Bamboo.

Please feel free to post a comment or contact me on Ravelry if you have any questions.

Happy Knitting!