I Felt It

I haven't been really into the felting thing but I bought some wool I thought could work for hats, and it ended up being too scratchy to be worn against skin so I decided to give this popular little bag a try. I must say it was highly enjoyable to watch the knit fabric morph into something else - I used most of a 165 yd. hank of Elizabeth Austen wool to knit the pattern as written plus a little flap closure - I still need to sew on a button.

So here's Sophie!

Before:


After:


Though I think it is a very cute little thing, and quite sturdy actually, I doubt I will use it very often - I mean what do you wear with a felted bag?

HUH?

Has anyone ever had a post just dissapear into thin air? A post that has been here for a few days just vanished when I published a new post - where did it go?

Big Yarn

I have a picture - a not so great picture - but a picture nonetheless!



This is a big fat scarf in Lion Brand Thick and Quick yarn on size 15 and 17 needles - please don't stone me - it was actually quite fun to see something emerge so quickly -

Anyway, I went to Michael's with the girls who were wanting to learn to knit, and told them about the yarn options and all and they chose bulky or super bulky yarn with big needles for some quick progress and I don't blame them and anyway you can see your stitches really well even though those big needles are quite unwieldy. We had lots of fun and the basics of knitting were learned - more on their own and from watching me than from my rambling and sometimes confusing verbal explanations.
So I joined in on the Thick and Quick fun and finished this up today - THis was so quick that I'm planning to do a few more to take up to Seattle's Union Gospel Mission.

Did a few rows on Ariann and those size 7 needles felt like toothpicks after working with the big sticks and yarn. She is going to be beautiful - and now I have plans to knit Starsky from the Fall or Winter '05 Knitty with the Chocolate brown Berkshire yarn I got on WEBS - It would be so nice to wrap up in something like that right now - oh well - maybe I'll settle for a big fatty scarf for myself.

Not Knitting

That's all.

Broadening and the "Knittiversary"

I am fast approaching my 2 year "knittiversary", October 27th to be exact - and as this milestone approaches I think about how much knitting has broadened me as a person - I know a lot more about how to mess with things on the computer, I have communicated with people I have never met and will probably never meet in person, I can look at a sweater at the store and analyze the stitch pattern and design, and last but certainly not least, knitting has brought about a significant broadening of my hips - and other areas as well. I'm not complaining or blaming my precious yarn and needles for the state in which I have found myself, but there is definitely a correlation I think. Going to the gym, for me, only happens(happened) late night - once knitting came along, well you know - late night is when I can pick up the needles without immediately having to put them down again because a small person needs their bottom wiped or their doll found or their sibling to stop copying them - and the soothing nature of the fabric through my hands and the mental engagement of trying to tweak a pattern just so - much more alluring to me than going and getting all sweaty and sore and having big bulky men and svelte, tan and toned women smirk at me in my frump-mom workout clothes trying to operate those machines like I know what I'm doing.
And well, I just WANT to knit - I need to exercise but I don't WANT to - I wonder how many calories you burn flapping your arms in despair over some dropped stitches -or how many muscles you use to wind a ball of yarn? Apparently not enough.
So, as I approach this anniversary, I am glad indeed that knitting and I have found each other - for just a small bit of sanity, a place to learn creativity, and virtual community. I am not so glad, however, about the spread and hope to discover some new form of exercise that incorporates knitting into the workout - you know something like those yoga workouts where you use your baby as the weight - maybe holding your needles with a big heavy sweater on them out in front of you and doing 5 squats every 10 stitches while raising the sweater above your head - I'm sure there's a lot of demand at the gym for a class like that-

Fall

I love fall. I love the chill air in the mornings. I love the leaves swirling all over the place. I love having a real reason to knit something. I started this Ariann sweater and I just can't wait to wear it. Not because it is so beautiful and sophisticated (though it is both of these) - and not because I want some admiration of my lovely handiwork (though I will gladly take compliments with modest downcast eyes and a few self-deprecatory mumblings) - I can't wait to wear this sweater because I AM COLD. I'm noticing that I haven't bought a whole lot of clothes for myself in the past two years since this knitting thing took hold of me. Any spare cash goes to amplifying the stash(sorry couldn't resist the stupid rhyme). So I can't seem to find a decent "throw on with anything sweater" in my closet - and I don't want to buy one because I'm going to finish Ariann any day now(ha ha). In the meantime I will continue to wear my old royal blue zippered sweatershirt hoodie thing that I got for Christmas from an old uncle about 15 years ago. I love the thing - but have had a few friends refer to "the sweater" with smirky little chortles.
I finished one hat for the LYS hat drive - donating hats to a local Cancer Center - hope to do 2 more before the beginning of November deadline.

This hat is in cream colored Zara - a soft and springy merino wool - I didn't use the Elizabeth Austen wool I had bought at the LYS because it just didn't feel quite soft enough for a hat, but it is being put to good use becoming a Sophie bag(old Magknits).

So I will continue my fall knitting - with my newfound utilitarian motivation. Maybe I'll have a nice cardigan soon to replace "blue sweater".

It's All Good

Here it is - I like it.





I think the Shine Worsted worked just fine. It's very soft and slightly shiny, but at 75yd. per skein, the endless joining of new yarn gets pretty tiresome. Other than that minor annoyance and the fact that it took me forever to finish the second sleeve, I would say this has been an enjoyable knit.

Also, I stopped in at my LYS today after receiving an e-mail saying they are collecting hats to donate to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Women’s Center - I bought 2 hanks of beautifully multi-colored wool - it's called Andes - there's no "brand" name on the band but I am going to look it up right after I finish this - it's decently soft, but I'll see how it feels knit up before deciding if it's soft enough for a hat for a cancer patient -

Feels good to be done with something - feels good to think about a project for someone else - knitting is just so good.

Next Up

I bought more yarn. (Hand over my eyes so you can't see me - huh?)
I couldn't resist even though I haven't started Ariann or even finished the SKB -

and a little SKB aside ( I mean aside as in tangent although it has been literally put to the side as well - oh too much unneccesary explanation) anyway, Sunday night, after reading people's encouragement to move forward with the sweater, I was happily trotting through the lace on the arm so glad to have started again when something awful happened - I'm not sure quite how (well maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was a bit past midnight and my eyes were closing on the plain knit rounds) but some stitches fell of the needle - I had had absolutely no trouble with this sweater until this, my last leg (well arm actually), and I was completely distraught - I could not figure out how to get those naughty little boys back on because it was a few of the yarn over stitches and they'd dropped a few rows - just not quite as obvious to me as if it were a nice little ladder in a stockinette section and at that time of night I had no inclination of trying to figure it out and bungle things even more - so riiiiiiiiiiip back to before the seed stitch border on the arm - just maddening - I love the sweater - it will get finished - but I'm not speaking to it right now.

Back to the newest acquisition - I ordered some wool/alpaca yarn in a Chocolate brown color for a nice warm sweater for - ME - it's "Berkshire" from Valley Yarns - I got it on WEBS - and I'm thinking the Valley Yarns line is there own line kind of thing - it was a good price plus I bought some Plymouth Encore for Log Cabins for the kids which amounted to enough to receive the 20% off of orders over $60 discount that WEBS offers - its a great site.

Also, I was so excited when the other day one of the small group leaders of our Church High School program called and asked if I would teach a group of 9th grade girls to knit. I probably scared her with my overly enthusiastic and quite spastic positive response to her request. I was just so glad to have a "charity" knitting opportunity thrown in my lap - you know to force all those projects for ME out of my lap - anyway I'm looking forward to helping and passing along this craft (obsession) to these unsuspecting High Schoolers - little do they know where this could lead them -

Clarification

I need to make a clarification - I have at times announced myself as having a knitting obsession. One might gather from the use of the word "obsession" that I knit lots and lots of stuff, like my hands just can't stop moving with these sticks in them or I'll fall off the edge of the earth - but I suppose what I really am is "obsessed about knitting" - as opposed to being "an obsessive knitter". The latter I think are people who really cannot put down the needles - they are extremely fast and productive and I am green with envy (up to my internet-glazed-over eyeballs) of them.

Now I fall into the "obsessed about knitting" category - this means I do really love knitting, but mostly I just sit here on the computer drooling over all of the lovely things other knitters are churning out, meandering from site to site looking for the perfect yarn at the perfect price, and clapping my hands in glee over the newest free pattern that I can print out and place lovingly into the ever growing queue of "when I'm done with _____ I'm going to start this!" Problem is I have a hard time getting done with _____. Unless it's a wee baby hat or something, most things hang onto my needles for a long, long time.




Now, this Simple Knitted Bodice, well I had visions of my first 2 week FO, and I was actually done with the body and neckline at 2 weeks - so then I thought OK maybe a 3 week FO, but alas at 3 weeks I am stuck - stuck halfway down the second sleeve and I haven't picked the sweater up in 3 days - I haven't even knit anything for 3 days - thus my musing over what sort of obsession I am actually involved in -

So here I am posting a picture of a very simply not finished Bodice - because it might be a few months before my right arm gets so cold that I am finally pushed over my "fear of finishing projects" hump and have a real completed project picture. In the meantime I might start something else, and I'll definitely be sitting up til the wee hours of the morning, eyeballs swirling with all the knitting deliciousness that's out there in that world of true obsessive knitters.

We Love the Big Brown Truck

A large box arrived on the doorstep today - but no, its not what you're thinking (or my first choice of package on the doorstep contents) - nevertheless an exciting package, especially for the 3 small ones in the house. My parents recently visited China, and like the good, doting, gift-bearing grandparents that they are, they made sure to bring back a whole rickshaw-ful of goodies for the kids. Actually, they didn't do too badly this time - not too many little trinkety things that end up getting stuck in the vents or broken after 3 minutes of play - A few toys for the kids - like you can't find toys Made in China here - but anyway, they also sent these cute little outfits and to my great astonishment the kids actually wanted to try them on and then to my even greater wonder and joy they cooperated and posed for me to snap some photos - This does not happen here ever - our photos are either candid or if they are posed, someone is sticking out a tongue or hanging upside down or there's some serious nose picking in progress, and then there's me in various contortions trying to grab the one getting away - anyway they looked darling.

My parents remembered me too this time - look at this cute bag -


Perfect for a bit'o'yarn and needles and a pattern - I'll be knitting in Asian sophistication rather than having to dig my take-along projects out of my gooey, cheerio crumbed diaper backpack.

Not a lot of knitting today - started the first SKB sleeve - contemplating casting on for Ariann but also contemplating being a well-rested mom to give all involved a better chance for a happy Saturday.

That's Nice

I went to a Bible Study at our Church today and we were introducing ourselves in a small group and of course as part of my intro I have to mention my knitting obsession (or maybe its just a thinking about knitting obsession), but anyway, I felt kind of silly talking about it to people who don't knit - especially when I said I was knitting a sweater for myself and not warm little hats and blankets for the premature and drug filled babies at the Center down the hill - of course this guilt and feeling of awkwardness was self-induced, as all of the ladies had something or other that was a "hobby" or occupied much of their time/thoughts.
But I started thinking about why I spend so much time on this and is it OK that I spend so much time on this when it's purely for me - the act of knitting and the objects that I'm knitting(mostly). I think with 3 kids running around all day "undoing" things I just enjoy having something that I can do that stays done(well mostly or at least once I've frogged seventeen times and added this and that here and there and tied the little gaps closed and called it good) - but anyway, I suppose a Creative God in whose image I am would be OK with me wanting to express some of that creativity right? I think it's the all consuming quality it has for me that makes me feel like I've gone a little overboard sometimes. But I've always been a little unbalanced I guess.

Well, how about a little yarn to lighten up a self-absorbed, ponderous post.


Some Rowan Calmer I bought a few months back on Knit Happens - it was on sale for 7.95 a ball -regularly 11.95 or so - It's slated to become a log cabin blanket for my little girl, but we'll see what happens - anyway I was so excited - and actually I'm getting excited now just remembering how excited I was to find it. See? this is what happens - the colors, the soft squishiness, the thought of it becoming fabric through my hands - too much - or maybe just the right amount of something for me to balance all that goes out everyday to everyone else - I think I'm alright for now.

Relief?

I feel so light and free now that those two baby sweaters are on a UPS truck somewhere on their way down to California. I'm going to finish Simple Knitted Bodice and with the Andean silk that was intended for SKB I'm going to start Ariann - I just really like how the Chicknits patterns are so classic looking - I've bought two other patterns from Chicknits as well, Scoop du Jour and the Ribby Cardigan(which I think has attained star status in the knitting community). I haven't started knitting either of these, just felt like I really needed those patterns for sometime. Meanwhile, I still have the beginnings of Lanaknits "Lacy Little Top" in Allhemp 3 sitting atop my yarn tower - the tower that used to hold towels in the bathroom but now holds baskets of yarn due to my insatiable need to store yarn just in case you know - And the first 3 "logs" of a log cabin blanket for my son - and I need to start blankets for my other two kids as well(for Christmas) - and the Soleil sweater I promised my mother for her birthday that happened back in April - Whoa! I started out this post feeling all happy and relieved and now look - all this stuff I forgot I HAVE to do.
I'm going to bed - I'll try again tomorrow.

Finally

Look what I finally finished!


The little peach baby sweater - only a month after I vowed to have it done - my mother has been gracious even though the recipient has already arrived(early)- I'll mail it down to CA tomorrow and release all my guilt and stress over unfinshed projects - and then I'll start something else (before finishing 4 other things still on needles!) There's a cute new cardigan pattern at Chic Knits - Oh my wandering heart - But better to be adulterous in my knitting than in other areas right?

So small

Could a baby head really be this small?
They grow up so fast. I'd almost forgotten how
you can cup there little head in your palm when they're
just brand new. This is for the new baby of Sorry the Band's
drummer. The only one of three who did not have a kid until now.
This might be the end of my Computer Guy's rock star dreams.

Progress

I only have 3 more rows of edging at the bottom of my SKB and I'm done with the body!!
These pictures were taken a few inches before the point where I am now so just envision another 3 inches or so after this.


I tried to make the V neckline a little wider and deeper - the size small pattern as written yields a neckline that looks like the short sleeve version picture but I wanted the neckline to look more like the one on the long sleeve picture(which is actually a M size sweater on an XS model;I asked Stitch Diva studios about the discrepancy in the looks of the two modeled sweaters) - but anyway, I think I may have overdone it. But I guess it doesn't matter as long as I have something on underneath - Or maybe it does matter and people can just say "tsk tsk what a little hussy" -
Anyway I think I like it - I also did the lace a little lower and narrower than the pattern and exchanged seed stitch for the purl ridges. Final pictures with sleeves hopefully by the end of the week - but I'm not making any promises.

Nothing

I'm too tired to take any pictures right now.
Working on the increase rows before joining in the round on SKB - I'm liking the Shine - it does fuzz a little but the color is so lurvely -
and I still have to add sleeves to Mini SKB and the little peach baby sweater.
Here - i'll stick in a picture of "edible earth"- our science lesson from the other day - layers of the earth replicated with marachino cherry, marshmallow, rice crispy treat, with a layer of peanut butter and chocolate cookie crumbs spread over the whole thing. Great stuff.

Shoot- I don't have those saved on the computer yet and my mouth is hanging open and I'm about to fall off this chair. My bed is calling me.

My Heart Goes Pitter - Patter

Is it so weird that my heart does that when I see that plump and juicy looking bag sitting on my doorstep? After enjoying a wonderful and surprisingly peaceful day at the Fair with 3 small children, all the happy memories we've created vanish from my mind to be replaced by complete and utter yarn lust. And my hands are all fumbling with excitement as I try to get the bag open - is it just so pathetic that yarn excites me to this degree?
Anyway, I got my Knitpicks order - Andean Silk in Sangria, Shine Worsted in Sea Spray(or something aquatic like that), and a little taste of Gloss in Woodland Sage.

I think I'm going to end up using the Shine for my Simple Knitted Bodice - i'd planned to use the Andean Silk but I just so love the greyish silver color of the shine - and there are plenty of other projects I "have to knit" for which the Andean Silk will be just wonderful.

I need to stop rubbing the yarn on my face and start knitting now. good bye.

Mini Knitted Bodice

Here's another "little thing".
I modified the Stitch Diva/Glampyre Simple Knitted Bodice pattern to work for my 4 year old daughter - I had to bribe her with tic tacs to try it on - I started it as the XS size sweater using Dale of Norway Svale for which my gauge was about 6 stitches per inch on size 5 needles- I increased more frequently at the neckline so it wouldn't be so low - slipped the arm stitches off when they were appropriately sized for a little girl sized arms - joined and knit a few rows then decreased 13 or 14 stitches and did the lace panel without going to smaller needles - knit for longer after the lace - until I thought it looked right.
It's so much fun to knit these top down things.

Anyway, my Knitpicks order is not here yet - Andean silk in Sangria for the SKB and some Shine worsted for something else but I don't know what - hopefully I won't be too burned out after I finish the Mini Sleeves - I can't wait to start knitting my BIG Knitted Bodice.

AAARRRGGHHHH!!

Don't you hate it when after deliberating for weeks on which yarn to buy and waiting patiently for the month to turn so you can allow yourself without guilt to purchase yarn and then after you decide on which yarn to buy, you spend a few days agonizing over which color to choose and you finally place that order and heave a sigh of relief, when you then receive an e-mail 5 days later saying that that particular yarn is on sale at 20% off regular price??? DON'T YOU HATE THAT????!!!!!!!!!

I do.

I decided to buy the Andean Silk from Knitpicks for the SKB and while I was at it I ordered a bunch of Shine Worsted because I like it and I thought maybe it could work too and its so cheap. But now that same Shine is even cheaper and I was just a few days off and that sort of thing really drives me bonkers.
I guess I should take consolation in the fact that it was only $2.49 a ball to start with - but I can't - because I'm just like that.

It's Rough Out There

I was up late last night working on a (rough)Rough Draft of SKB - I started with some leftover Plymouth Encore acrylic/wool that I had around then ran out so I got some cheap Red Heart in a fairly close color and kept going - the Encore is OK but the Red heart, well I could hardly move it across the cable of my needles it was so sticky - anyway I persevered and this is what I have -
I'm not going to knit the whole thing in this yarn but I just had to see how the V neck would hang on me and see how the small would fit around my chest.


So as I was knitting late night on my SKB,I hear this little sqeaking sound - at first I thought it was my daughter waking up but then it kept happening and I realized it was outside - there is a designated "protected natural area" behind our backyard - it's one of the reasons we liked this house - it affords a little privacy and beauty in the midst of the Development - but anyway there was rustling in the "natural area" and then snarling and growling and that sad sad sqeak squawk sound of some small animal being eaten - I stood near the window just horrified - more rustling, growling, crunch (bone?) ughhh, rustling as something trotted off, then quiet - I just sat there and my heart was pounding and I felt sick. I guess it's always happening - animals eat animals - but I don't know that I'll be able to enjoy sitting out on the back deck at night anytime soon. I know it was a dog or coyote or something but I couldn't help thinking of Gollum. ARGHHH!! I need to get my hands on some nice quieting yarn to get my mind off of it so I can sleep tonight -and sorry I had to write it down - helps to get it out of my system.
I guess I'm not much of a nature girl.