Punctuated Knitquilibrium

Keeping Time

2010-02-14T15:57:00.003-05:00

It's been nearly a year since I posted any projects. I find that I can do most of what I want on Ravelry. At some point I may change, so I'll keep the blog here in case.

Mystery Shawl Clue 2 and the Bun's Blanket

2009-03-30T18:49:00.009-04:00

I'm a little late posting these pictures but I made some good knitting progress in February and the beginning of March.
Mystery Shawl is now 14" long and at row 107. I got home from work with a little sunlight left so I took some pictures in natural light. You can see the beads better here:

Finished just in time was a project I've been working on since July, the Bun's Blanket:

The is the Pinwheel Baby Blanket in Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Dyed cotton color 316 (French blue). I knit it at roughly 6 sts = 1" after machine washing. It softened up nicely but shrunk a little as predicted from the swatch. It came out to about 36" diameter. I did 3/4" seed stitch for a border.

This is a really easy and cool pattern. Setting up the center takes a little work, but then you have 10 sections that get a yarn over increase every other round. It grows as the baby grows if you're knitting for an expected baby. I might have been done a little earlier than I was, but I didn't want to bind off until the baby was full term and then wove in the ends after he was safely arrived.

Here it is in full on the dining table.

And with Cassie, who loves to model knitted items even more than Arthur.

Arthur can be trusted with a swift and ballwinder, however.

Mystery Shawl Clue 1 Complete

2009-01-27T02:04:00.004-05:00

Clue 1 is complete! I really like how it looks, though I think the beads could be larger. They don't show up well with the flash on, but do add some sparkle to the piece in person.

I initially started on a 3.5mm (#4) needle, but found the lace too open for the pattern. So after 40 rows I frogged and started again with a 3.0mm needle.

It seems to be impossible for me to take any knitting photos without assistance from one or the other cat . . .

. . . just as it seems to be impossible to set the table.

Mystery Shawl 11 pre-clue 1

2009-01-10T23:25:00.004-05:00

I'm so excited to be doing Mystery Shawl this year. I needed something to look forward to, but it had to be cheap and had to give me several week's worth of fun. So lace knitting with mystery clues was perfect!

I ordered some Knitpicks Gloss, and picked up some mystery seed beeds today (I don't know the size, but I hope close enough to work) and I'm off and running. Here are my supplies. I'm using the crochet hook method of beading. My hook is a #14, which is almost imaginary it's so small.

I've been looking forward to today for 2 weeks. I finished a big project at work that I worked on the entire holiday. So I get the day off, no guilt. Got some wine and crab legs, Kurt Warner kicking butt on the TV and a brand new knitting project.

The test swatch. I think the beads may be too small, but there weren't any beads in the next size up that matched.

BSJ and Trellis

2009-01-10T23:11:00.006-05:00

The pictures are pretty bad because I was in a rush to mail them, but they are done! I haven't done baby clothes before, but they are certainly a lot of fun because they're done so quickly.

All the details are on Ravelry.

Trellis from Knitty.com, in Rowan Handknit Cotton, which was my Rowan membership gift a couple of years ago.

A baby surpise jacket in a toddler size, with I cord- bind off and trim.

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009

2009-01-02T17:49:00.000-05:00

2008 was a funky year, a year of extreme highs and lows, both personally and professionally.

Every New Year I look back and think, "Maybe next year will be better. Maybe X problem will be resolved." But things don't generally improve this way. I'm coming around to think that I need to take the bull (perhaps in this case Taurus the bull of worldly success) by the horns and aggressively MAKE it better.

I'm no longer on a "yarn diet," I'm "stash busting". Active instead of passive.

Anyway, I didn't get many projects completed this year and what I did complete wasn't very interesting and I simply put it up at Ravelry. I would like to get back to more documenting here. I'm doing Mystery Shawl 11, my first mystery knit, and I'm really excited. I need some small weekly cookie. I will try to document each clue here, though I doubt I'll be finishing in anything resembling on time.

One of the good things from 2008 is new kitten Cassie, who keeps Arthur busy and plays with yarn in approved kitten fashion. She also turned out to be a little typhoid Mary (one of the bad things), but I think both cats will finally kick all her shelter-born diseases shortly.

Oh, I did learn to knit fair isle holding one color in each hand!

In which I spend my birthday money on yarn again

2008-05-07T18:57:00.001-04:00

Ah, birthday yarn money.

Remember when I got that Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn?

http://punkknit.blogspot.com/2006_05_01_archive.html

Good times.

This year I got a gift certificate to kpixie.com. I got some Skinny Dyed from Blue Sky Alpacas in this midnight-blue-almost-black and Zodiac cotton from Karabella in cherry red (looking a little pinker than life here).

The elephant incense burner is from friends. I have been feeling the green this year, and something about elephants is appealing right now. Wisdom and patience. Things to work on.

Anyway, the blue is for Camilla by Kate Gilbert:

And the red is for the Wallis cardigan in Summer Interweave:

Yes, I know I have lots of cherry red sweaters and cherry red yarn. But I don't have any cherry red cotton yarn or sweaters.

Given my history of eternal frogging, the sweaters I have picked for the yarn are, well, frankly just ideas. Drapy cardi for the red, pullover with little stitch patterns for the blue. I am already worried about how the sleeves will look on the Wallis cardigan (linebacker?), but I'll cross that bridge when I sew it in and try it on.

What else is going on this year of the big 31? Trying to publish, not perish, as usual.

And Arthur loves roast chicken.

Finishing

2008-02-11T18:19:00.000-05:00

I really need to do something about getting flash card reader so I can post pictures. I finished three lovely pairs of socks, two hats, and have just begun a Baby Surprise Jacket.
All gifts. I need amazing-in progress photos of the BSJ.

But, considering my extreme number of works in progress and constant frogging, I don't even believe myself that I finished all that stuff.

Discipline

2007-12-04T21:33:00.000-05:00

I'm (mostly) knitting presents right now. I've got some cute socks just finished and on the needles. Two of these pairs are in my beloved Mountain Colors Bearfoot, which is now being carried at my LYS. In the Loop is officially perfect.

Of course, I also started a new cardigan for myself. IK Tangled Yoke (Eunny Jang). For a change I'm making it in the specified yarn, because the gorgeous red color it comes in jumped into my lap while I was choosing Bearfoot colors. I will have to do short rows on the bust, and I'm nervous because it could result in having to do that cabled part over many times. Perhaps I should go top-down, but I've already knit one sleeve in order to check the gauge and sagginess of the yarn. Something about the texture suggests to me it will grow during wear.

I have not one, but two sweater disasters from this summer. It's been long enough that I can own up to it now, with pictures. I did learn from "Sweater Design in Plain English" what the problems were though. It seems I will have to get a lot more comfortable with short rows.

Most Beautiful . . .

2007-09-17T15:22:00.000-04:00

Day EVER.

80 degrees, not a cloud in the brilliant blue sky, with a fresh, cool breeze blowing. And I got to eat lunch outside with friends.

Perhaps the horrible August was just to make sure we could appreciate the beauty of today.

Fall Again

2007-09-15T14:10:00.000-04:00

Well, it was the hottest August on record, which was a more than a little harsh for our first summer. On the hottest day, we had a flat tire leaving work.

We really like it here (even though we are planning a trip north for next August). People very friendly, affordable if anywhere can be for a grad student and a first-year postdoc. We have our favorite places to eat and a weekly happy hour with friends. Tuesday is our third wedding anniversary.

Have been busy, but things are going okay. Lots to learn, and never enough time in a day. Get the figets, start a new knitting project, don't finish. I'm on a quasi- yarn diet. Mostly it means I buy books.

Arthur is now 1 year old, and has been successfully toilet-trained. This picture is from just before he completed his training. You can see the last ring of the CitiKitty with litter in it. It really just gave him something to scratch at. Now, even that's gone and there's no more litter being tracked over our apartment.

This picture also shows off his beautiful markings.

I've just started an account over at Ravelry. I'm very excited about being able to queue projects that interest me and keep track of my stash. Sure, I could do it on a spreadsheet, but it's not as fun. It's linked here, so who knows where I will keep track of projects should I ever finish any. It's hard to get motivated to knit when it's 107 plus heat index.

A Post-Doctoral Post

2007-04-09T20:28:00.000-04:00

One week ago today . . . I became Dr. Punctuated Knitter.

In the meantime, the whole winter disappeared, and part of the spring. I took an official-must-not-work-at-all four days off before my new job started and spent some time looking at the lovely blossoms all over Columbia and catching up on sleep. I realized that it's hard to take four days off. I had forgotten, but I like to work. Having one project somewhat completed and not started yet on a new one, I did get a chance to do some Thinking About Biology, and that was good. I think while I knit. Usually, it's just planning/worrying about what needs to happen next in the mundane day-to-day sense, but this time I did get to think about some more big picture questions.

And I bought post-doctoral silk at my LYS. I have not had 100% silk before, so I thought this was a good occasion. I am officially on a yarn diet since packing up the stash and realizing how large it is, but this doesn't count. It's my present to myself, and I wasn't going to use my binge on just any old wool. It would be like blowing your diet on Hershey's Kisses. Good, but if if you're going to go, go all the way. I'm making a Clapotis. I will get back into documenting my projects as I'd planned for this blog, as I get back into a regular post-thesis life (that is, the having of a life).

I also got "Fitted Knits" by Glampyre Stephanie Japel, whose work I always admire, and "No Sheep for You" by knitty's Amy Singer. There were a ton of patterns in "Fitted Knits" that I liked, and several I can make with yarn already in my stash (yay!). "No Sheep for You" had a couple patterns I liked, but I really bought it for the overview of non-animal-hair yarns, which was excellent.

Here is my spring and summer knitting goal list:
1. Work my way through any UFOs I actually intend to finish
(frog, re-ball and donate or stash yarn from those I won't)
2. Christmas gift socks
3. Play with dying sock yarn
4. Finish presents for former co-workers
5. Use leftovers to learn Continental knitting (felting project with swatches?) and learn two-handed fair isle

I learned from last summer's heat--except for #1 none of these goals involve a lapful of wool.

In the meantime, Arthur is putting on some needed weight and looks healthier and has more energy. He is snoozing happily next to me on the couch. He likes to be with us all the time. We had a good time napping together on my days off. I'm so thankful he was rescued from Animal Control. He's a wonderful kitty. I get so upset thinking about him there in a cage waiting for the end, but he will never have to go through that again. At least we can give one cat a home for the rest of his life. And all my knits will now feature the occasional fine, orange hair knit in!

Who's a good kitten? Who's a good kitten?

2007-03-11T23:40:00.000-04:00

Arthur is doing excellently. He earned his free range privs shortly after I posted, though he wasn't 100% comfortable exploring the apartment by himself until today. He's a good box user but a messy eater. Good thing we bought the kitty placement. We are working on encouraging him to use his scratching post. He spent most of the last two days at my feet, or sitting halfway between N and me. Right now he is sitting against me on the couch washing his face. If one of us gets up he follows us around, partly out of curiousity but also I think partly out of clinginess. He wants lots of attention, which is okay because just now we are home a lot. It is great that he already is comfortable with us and doesn't feel the need to hide all day, but I hope he will soon realize that he is here to stay and if we leave we'll come back. Poor baby, without a home for so long.

He is also wearing his collar and tags now. I wanted him to get used to them as soon as possible. Especially since he's at a very quick age for dashing out doors. He's going to be entirely indoors, so I hope he never needs his tags, but safety first, and I think he looks dapper with his blue collar.

Meet Arthur

2007-03-09T22:24:00.000-05:00

Here is our new guy! He's 6 months old, so he's past the tiny fluff-ball phase and is moving through the all-legs-and-ears phase. Look at the pretty swirl on his side! His beautiful eyes! His little white boots! How could anyone not want him?

That's not a rhetorical question. He is a Project Pet kitten, rescued, fostered, and given all his health care. They even microchipped him.

With my cat allergies, we had to be sure I'd be okay, so yesterday we went to see him at PetSmart, and made sure I got good and exposed. Poor kitty must have thought we were crazy rubbing our faces all over him. I got a little sniffly--enough to decide poor little Arthur isn't allowed on the bed (though I'm sure that rule isn't going to last long)--but otherwise was fine. Thank goodness when we arrived today no one had taken him yet.

He's really calm for a kitten and cuddly. We are restricting him to the hall/changing area/bathroom for right now until he's had time to get used to all the new stuff and demonstrate he can use the litter box.

Which means we spent most of the day in the hall snuggling with him. He really likes attention and to sit in our laps. Now he's pretty tired and is sleeping on a cozy pile of towels. He ate a ton of kitten chow and seems to enjoy his special kitty water fountain.

Tomorrow, if he doesn't seem frightened, we'll let him wander freely around the apartment.

Knitting, not so much. Thesis, still not done. But, I have a kitten!

Southern Living

2007-02-04T10:51:00.000-05:00

It's been intense, especially the last 6 days, but we are finally in Columbia, with a carload of basic necessities--air mattress, 2 computers, and a pile of journal articles I need to finish my thesis. The bitter cold made everything unpleasant. We stayed with N.'s parents four nights, after we got rid of the bed. Getting the car loaded and unloaded every day and driving the 50 minutes back and forth in 10 degree temps was killer.

We still don't know when the truck will arrive with the rest of our stuff. Yesterday morning we drove through the Smoky Mountains. I'm glad neither of us gets carsick easily, but it was very beautiful. Here's our brave car after 750 miles stuffed to the limit. I could not move my feet, but the car gave us no trouble.

Notice that we can now park right outside our door. Oh happy day.

Here is our new living room. My knitting bag is there on the left. Sitting on one of the camp chairs with my laptop on my bedtray/lapdesk is working out pretty well. The first thing we did after getting the boxes and bags unpacked and running out for lunch and groceries was try to get the internet working. I had to spend about 45 minutes on hold or getting disconnected by the voice mail with Bell South, but I managed to get my password and username (with name spelled wrong yes I'm looking AT YOU BELL SOUTH) and we were good to go.

Here's the bedroom, porch, and dining room:

The Hanging Up of the Dishtowels is an important ritual in settling in.

I'm suffering stash deprivation. The last two months I've been working on presents for my lab, some of which are completed. All I brought with me was the yarn for 2 of the pairs of socks I'm working on. Most of the stash has been packed since early December. I miss all my pretty yarns. When the truck arrives I'm going to have to open all my yarn boxes--I will not admit to how many--and fondle all my lovely yarns. I can't wait for the spring and summer magazines.

In the meantime I will have to check out the LYS. Probably tomorrow.

Stuff Happens

2007-01-05T01:16:00.000-05:00

Every 6-8 months or so I seem to hit a major milestone in my work. Not so infrequently I pack it in altogether, but infrequently enough I often despair of ever completing Project Whatever. Today I completed some analysis that I've been working on about 50-60 hours a week since October. It was supposed to have taken me a month. I did a victory lap around the lab. Everyone already knows I'm a tiny little freak (N's phrase) so I just go ahead and do what I feel like anyway, and I felt like yelling w00t! and running around for a minute. Soon I will have a new lab. I will have to ease them in gently.

We have a lot more data than we'd estimated we'd get. I either have the Paper to End all Papers, or the Biggest Negative Result of All Time. We'll know in about a week, after I've done some more work on the results. Either way it will be publishable, but you can guess which I'd prefer it to be.

I packed up all my yarn and yarn-related supplies about 3 weeks ago, except for what I would want until the move. I will not own up to how many boxes my stash went into, but in my defense I also packed a couple large vases in there too. It's not stash, it's packing material! And of course, books are heavy so those boxes are small. I carefully lined the cardboard box bottoms with a garbage bag in case of damp pavement and rain. Just in case. I have lots of deep red yarn so there is plenty of room for disaster.

I kept one of my 66 quart plastic tubs out and put all my yarn-for-lab-presents in it. I did not leave myself out any yarn to knit for myself, so I am working along very well on lab presents, though the temptation to open a box and find my Blue Sky Alpaca worsted cotton in Honeydew is pretty enormous.

Okay, that was barely dishonest.

I did make Le Slouch from knitandtonic, but only because I had in the leftover stash exactly the yarn called for in a raspberry red color. And I saw the pattern just as I was sorting the odd-ball stash bin for packing. If you can avoid knitting a raspberry beret more power to you. I have not the will. Of course it has been unwholesomely warm, and I have not had the chance to wear it.

I have finished 2 pairs of socks (one Cherry Tree Hill and one LB Magic Stripes), a hat, and have another hat and 2 scarves on the needles. I'm doing the Backyard Leaves scarf from Scarf Style in RYC Cashsoft Aran, a broken rib scarf in doubled Encore worsted, and the Knitty winter cover hat in the DB Merino Chunky that I bought in 5 colors to mix and match for the many hats I'm making. I think pictures will have to wait until we are arrived in the new place. It looks like we will have 150-250 more square feet, so there will be plenty of room for blocking. I do so much sweater knitting (and frogging) I forgot how fast accessories can be made.

N gave me season one of the X files for Christmas so I am seeing a few episodes I haven't seen before while I work at night.

and to all a Good Night

2006-12-25T23:54:00.000-05:00

News at Last!

2006-12-11T22:30:00.000-05:00

My weather pixie has a Christmas tree!

Soon, she will have a palm tree because . . .

We are moving to South Carolina!

After a very stressful 6 weeks or so since my last entry, I have a post-doctoral job. I've been looking for a post-doc for 10 months, so as you might imagine I was getting pretty crazed. Not only do I have a job, but I couldn't be more pleased with the position. We'll move sometime in January. In the meantime, I'm working like crazy in my dissertation and inspiring myself every morning by looking at photos of apartment complexes with glistening aquamarine pools on rent.com. Summertime, and the livin is easy.

I bought the "honeydew" color Blue Sky Alpacas worsted cotton, after a year of admiring it on every visit to Knitorious, since I will be needing cotton sweaters.

I have photos to post later this week after some blocking. Not much knitting progress has gone on. My silver bamboo wrap-sweater turned out to be the most unflattering thing since leggings (on a par with the Lotus Lace Disaster of '06). I have no one to blame but myself this time because I designed it. I've finished the back of the re-design, which is a V neck shaped pullover like the Sizzle Success, but with bell sleeves and a lattice pattern below the bust. I won't work on it more until after the move. In the meantime I am working on going-away presents for my co-workers and going-to-be-very-late Christmas presents. There are 3 hats, 2 scarfs, 1 handwarmer, and 6 pairs of socks to knit. That will keep me occupied for the next 2 months or so. I'm not doing any 9 sts=1" men's socks this year.

Quite a Week

2006-10-26T00:48:00.000-04:00

Last week was my final committee meeting. It's always a lot of work to do, because of course I want to present the most work possible. It gets easier every time though, because there is a lot more "this is what I've done and why" and a lot less "this is what I'm going to do but I don't fully understand it yet because I haven't done it."

For my treat afterwards I went to Knitorious and got myself a present or five. The photo color is a bit off but that alpaca is an amazing dark chocolately brown and the softest thing this side of cashmere. N noticed it first, he is not only patient with the yarn shopping but knows good stuff when he feels it. I was fondling it in the car all the way home. I also got another sheepy tape measure, this one for the knitting bag, and 2 new books. Knitting Nature has some really interesting patterns and constructions. Rachel, who I recognized from the lovely shawl pictures she had up earlier this year, warned me about errata in the book. I'm mentioning it here in case I forget. There are at least 2 pullovers to go into my to-knit list. I'm enjoying the Knitter's Almanac, but I haven't finished it yet, as I like to space EZ out like Halloween candy to make her last. How's that for a timely analogy?

From having no leads on jobs last week I have two solid leads this week, one long shot, and a few ideas of things to apply for with December deadlines. Speaking of, I better get back to work so I'm actually post-doctoral sometime in the near future.

The Magic is Back

2006-10-16T14:19:00.000-04:00

The Tigers are back in the swing! Oh yes, the boys are finally back. I don't talk about being a fan very often. Not because I don't love them anymore, but it was an abusive relationship and I had to cut ties. Sometimes, they'd start to look good again at the beginning of the season, and I'd take them back, and then they'd hurt me again. So I kept them at a safe distance.

The prospect of a Cards-Tigers series has both of us really geeked. We've adopted the Cards as our National League team. That has been a satisfying relationship. Ever since we moved here, they have had least made a good run at the playoffs. StL is a great baseball town.

Meanwhile, another month. Two car trips out of state, which is where I made most of my knitting progress. I have been making thesis progress too, but slowly, and no progress on the job hunt, which is stressing me out to no end. I really wanted to start a new job in January, but I think at this rate I'll be lucky to be starting in April.

Thankfully it has cooled off nicely and I'm looking out at the tops of some pretty orange and yellow trees waving in gusts of October mizzle. I like October weather, especially when the TIGERS ARE IN THE WORLD SERIES.

I now have the ball winder to go with the swift and make pretty little balls. Here it is with yet more Mountain Colors--this for felting a bag for P (see below). Shortly after taking this picture, I got really excited by how fun it was to use, cranked the handle too fast, and caused the yarn to get tangled around the swift somehow and the swift to crash to the floor.

I'm doing the small baguette Noni bag for P. At the moment it has been through the wash 2x and needs a third, but I am out of quarters. It looks really beautiful with the colors all softened and blended. Because the wash is up to $1.25, I got the felting started in the sink. Gently teasing it with the comb works really well, and gets a lot of the fuzz off before I stick in a community washer. I'm making some I-cord handles to felt too, but I think it might look good with bamboo.

In the meantime I have completed the red sweater from my June post with unfinished projects. I had to wait for it to get cool enough to suffer a lap full of wool while I put the button bands on. My first buttonholes, and they worked out pretty well (not that I am magically good at buttonholes, I tested them on the swatch) using my favorite book, The Knitter's Guide to Finishing Techniques. Yes, that is the Panopticon's Dolores on my tee. Her shirt says "Uppity Chicks Rule."

Labor Day

2006-09-08T04:05:00.000-04:00

Well, here I am at 3 a.m. again. It's all good though. I'm Getting Stuff Done. I had a productive weekend. University holidays are great because you get three whole days with no interruptions. There is no adminstrative stuff going on, 3/4 of the lab is MIA, and there's very little email to be distracted by, either personal or professional.

But this isn't about work stuff, this is about knitting. After all, next year I don't want to be looking to see what my fall knitting projects were and read some long boring thing about setting up 960 command files.

This week I made 2 trips to Knitorious (maybe that's why I'm in a good mood, absorbing all that happy yarn atmosphere). One to get some yarn for a scarf for a summer student who's been a lot of help to me the last 2 summers. She is off to Chicago and will need it. The other trip was to pick up my shiny new ball winder! Well, it's not shiny but it is very exciting. No picture yet because I've been too busy working on the scarf to wind anything. I think the first thing I wind will be the new Mountain Colors Bearfoot I bought while I was theoretically there to buy scarf yarn. It is a most joyful thing to have 2 pairs of Bearfoot socks in the hand and 2 skeins in the bush. The "New Wool Winder" does have some directions, but nothing as fun as the Amazing Reeling Machine.

Compare:

Swift
"K.M. All-Powerful Reeling Machine"
early 1960's picture of happy woman with the swift
"Directions: When you open or shut it, please give a slight swing, just as you do with your umbrella or parasol."
"Features: It is holding type, and made entirely of metal. The connector is of the utmost convenience and permanent use."
(and etc . . .)

I'm not leaving out any real instructions, like a diagram showing what all the widgets do. But that's fine, since I, raccoon-like, like to explore strange metal objects.

Ball Winder
"How to Use the Wool Winder"
labeled diagram
"1) For the wound ball taken out of bobbin, pick the first end of yarns up from the core of the ball."

More like stereo instructions, and unfortunately not leaving me at all mystified about any of the screws.

I had been resisting the swift and ball winder buying for about a year. My excuse was that I was still needing to get needles fairly frequently and also that I didn't want to spend that yarn money on non-yarn. But the real reason was that someone who owns a ball winder and swift has a Yarn Problem, and I wasn't ready to admit it.

I will admit it now. Hello, I'm the Punctuated Knitter, and I am a yarn junkie.

Pix This!

2006-08-29T02:25:00.000-04:00

My weather pixie was annoying me.

Sure, she had a cute cat, but the b-- left the cat sitting out in a thunderstorm the other day, hogging the umbrella. Plus, she was way too perky, smiling over there in her sundress in 100 degree weather. It was like she was mocking me for dealing with the heat so badly.

I want a weather pixie that turns red and lies there on the ground when it gets above 90.

Barring that, I found one that appears to be dressing more realistically, in jeans and tee shirt. I'll have to see how she deals with tomorrow afternoon before deciding to keep her on. If she sprouts a gin and tonic at 7 p.m., she's definitely staying.

The best thing about Saint Louis this summer is RetroJams. It's on channel 51 on Sunday evenings. Weeknights are first-season excruciatingly bad Happy Days or Brady Bunch episodes, Saturday night tends to be these ultra-violent, ultra-bad action films from the 80's, but on Sundays there is this video call-in show out of Little Rock, with all sorts of old videos. I saw the Thriller video all the way through for the first time yesterday. I also discovered Keanu Reeves was in a Paula Abdul video.

Knitting Only

2006-08-22T04:21:00.000-04:00

Here are Tiff's socks, using a solid and a varigated of Koigu KPPM, #2 needles, and "rpm" from Knitty.com. Very cute. It is difficult to find a good pattern for a varigated, and luckily rpm appeared just when I needed one. That's my fancy blocking board in the background, leftover styrofoam from insulating around the window AC units. Don't really need to upgrade, except possibly get a towel to go over it with stripes, instead of the swirly print I'm using now, to help me line up edges. I used the grafted toe and the short row heel. The short row heel, I'm not a fan of it. I usually do flap but it wasn't going to give me the effect I was looking for. They're alright, I just don't think they fit as well. Tiff lives in a cold and damp climate so they should be useful. The colors are inspired by some awesome hot pink and teal sneakers she had on Memorial Day. P and I went to Fine Points in Cleveland (no trip to Cleveland is complete without a trip to Fine Points), P got the yarn, and I made the socks. Now to send my brave little swatchlet through tomorrow's laundry to see if Koigu can handle machine wash and dry like I've heard. The socks will get a handwash, regardless.

I'm back working on the Mountain Colors sock I posted earlier. I had to take a hiatus because I only have one set of #2 dpns, and my #2 Addy is .25 mm larger than the double points. The sock is really beautiful, and I'm so glad I got two 2 skeins so I can make another pair later. I think they will be done in time to go in for Winter Knitty. It is a good pattern for gifts, super stretchy so one size fits all and needs no chart or cable needle, good for airport lines.

Still too hot to work on my almost-done sweaters, so of course I started a new one. This sweater was in Winter Vogue Knitting last year, on one first pages of ads. Poor VK, full of lovely cabled sweaters and I get hung up on an ad on pg 5 or something. The yarn is Karabella Margrite Bulky, which is 20% cashmere and 80% merino, like buttah, and not as expensive as you might think. I considered using Aurora Bulky, but the price turned out to be the same. It looks a bit yellow in the photo against the dead white foam but it's really a creamy white, almost like natural wool but not quite. I had a bit of a scare when I washed up my swatch and it came out looking like a drowned rat. And when I say that, I know of what I speak. But the stitches plumped back up nicely when it dried and it evened the stitches out.

This is the first time I ever used the yarn the pattern was written for on purpose (I have a couple pairs of socks where it just happened to work out that way). I have been knitting worsted and smaller all summer, and forgot how fast one can cruise on a 6.5mm needle (though I think I'd use wood for this yarn if I had one, it's very slippery). Unfortunately the pattern is only written for 32" and 36"--it's the same but with an extra purl stitch between the leaves. It's good to be petite sometimes, as I do wear a 36" sweater, and I calculated I'd get an extra leftover ball and a half from shortening it. Maybe I will make a matching cap. It would be very soft against the forehead.

%@$%@#%**

2006-08-16T02:39:00.000-04:00

Really tired of the heat. The Mister got to shave his head. Actually, I shaved it--first we did a mohawk and took a picture for a friend, then we finished. He is much more comfortable. I, on the other hand, am not. He's planning on keeping it shaved until it cools off. When he ran this by me (I think wives are supposed to freak out about this kind of thing? maybe?) my reply was "Who am I to complain? I'm four drinks away from a shaved head myself."

It's damn hot.

We did an awesome job on our electric bill last month, using the same amount of electricity as we did in November. Today I looked at fall knitting stuff online, to remind myself that someday it will be cooler, and I'd rather spend my money on yarn, glorious yarn.

Fall is my favorite season. All these years on an academic calendar, and September is what feels like a New Year to me. The possibility of meeting cool new people, learning new subjects, setting new routines. I love beginnings (just look at my shameful unfinished projects down there). Tonight as I left lab there was a touch of cool in the air--probably just a mini cool-front--but it reminded me of fall.

Now I'm a knitter, it also means new projects, gorgeous new yarns, new magazines and patterns to mull over, and being cool enough work on and wear wool again.

I'm trying to dwell on the positive parts of it being halfway through August, because I'm extremely frustrated about some other things right now, and I'm really trying hard not to get bogged down in the negative.

How to Lose 20 Lbs Without Diet or Exercise

2006-08-03T18:38:00.000-04:00

I'm averaging 2 thesis-induced freak-outs per week. It's great, no really, grad school is great.

I did my last weekend taking care of the critters ever, which is really nice. What a way to go out, though. The colony is enormous now, and we had several hundred that had to be weaned and assigned to new cages, with new friends and new grownup diets. And of course, all have to have their sexes carefully checked so there aren't any . . . wild teenage parties (ahem). So glad there were no power issues over there after the storm. All the people in the city are hot and dragging, but they were frisky enough to make up for it. Now's there nothing for them to do but eat, drink and be merry until November. Wish I could say the same for myself.

Today I got to go to the new Knitorious. Very spacious and light. Looking forward to going back next month for fall projects. Too hot to think about sweaters still. As usual I admired the Blue Sky cotton, color Honeydew. A pretty pale green. I showed fortitude and did not buy any yarn, but I think Honeydew and I are meant to be together.

I got an Almighty Handy Reeling Machine. There it is modelling the Koigu for Tiff's socks. Yes, my dining table is also my desk. We have 2 computer desks, and I use the dining table.

And in other news, Sizzle is done! I'm very pleased, especially considering the craptastic knitting I've done most of the summer. I'm striking a little pose there, I know. But I just got a swift, so I'm happy.

Recently on KR there was a thread about why people do knitting blogs. Mine is for 2 things: to show pictures of my knitting (and hopefully someday exciting travel pictures) to a few friends, and to help me keep track of my projects, including pictures and a few notes.

So now I move to the Knitting Notes part:
I distributed more of the bust increases to the front instead of evenly between front and back (learning from the Picovoli problem) and also added some short rows at the bust so it wouldn't creep up in front. Had to redo all the math because 1) I was between sizes and 2) I like SouthWest Trading Co Bamboo at 6 sts=1 instead of 5. It also got standard Petitification: slightly narrower bands, shortened length and neckline, placing waist in right place, narrowing shoulders and neckline. It's a little lose in waist and hips, but I think it makes it a bit more comfortable in the heat. I also think the deep V lengthens the torso, though to wear out I'd put a camisole on underneath.

Here is what the yarn was before it sizzled. The previously mentioned, very unflattering Lotus Lace tank. A cute pattern, but not for me. I look 20 lbs heavier. There are so many problems with this, I don't know where to start. Shoulder straps too wide in general and too far out on shoulders--which is bad considering I reworked the neck to be narrower in the first place. Lack of waist shaping makes entire torso look as wide as bust. Dividing short body into 2 segments with lace makes torso look short too, especially with the waist length. Creeps up in front.
I'm putting this here as a reminder to myself to choose patterns based on reality, and not what looks cute on a cover model.

Heat Wave

2006-07-21T05:20:00.000-04:00

What other title could there be?

Best wishes and hopes that all the StL ring bloggers are doing okay and those without power will have power back soon. It was so hot today I didn't even go outside, so I don't know anything about CWE damage except what I can see from my windows. Very concerned about so many without power in this heat, and those under the boil-water alert.

We were completely unaffected by the storm here--a few lights flickered but that was it. Being in the middle of a high-rise, there was no worry about trees landing on us, and our car got lucky too. That storm was very strange--when the wind started so suddenly it sounded like someone was pushing a heavy piece of furniture in the hall, that sort of whistling of wood on carpet. I opened the door to see if someone needed a hand and the wind pushed me back. Literally. I couldn't close the door.
It was so sudden and unexpected, and since the sirens didn't go off, we had no idea it was so bad until we checked the news.

Was wanting to go out tomorrow (possibly Knitorious if they are powered up) but after seeing the news with so many traffic lights still out today I think I'll do everyone that has to drive a favor and keep to my habitat (within walking distance of apt). I've decided to admit that I have a yarn problem and purchase a ball winder and swift.

With it being so hot I worked from home all this week, and was too hot to do anything but work or knit small things, so I got a lot done on both counts. N's and my socks are done, and Sizzle nearly so. I finished the first Bearfoot sock and picked out Knitty's rpm for Tiff's socks.

Lost in the rain in Juarez

2006-07-13T17:07:00.000-04:00

All sorts of troubles, but the most recent is that today the car wouldn't start. Luckily we were at Target, and got a soda (it was hot) while waiting the 12 mins for AAA to arrive. All hail Marco of AAA. 12 minutes!

We are hoping it's the battery, but there is the suggestion that it might not be hanging there. The jump got us home at least.

I am distracting myself worrying about my thesis and other work-related issues.

Now, knitting pictures. Here is my new nifty sock holding thingy, keeps all the needle points covered and safe. So simple and elegant.

And I have just finished the Lotus Lace tank from the cover of Summer IK. I had to change the proportions and shorten it, of course. I'm not satisfied though--I don't think the style is flattering.

Perhaps I will try this summer top thing again. I'm thinking either to do Sizzle, or maybe design something new.

I just got done reading the Pocket Stylist this week, which is another what to wear book, but I found it alot more helpful than anything I've read before. For one, it takes shoulders into account while classifying yourself, instead of just bust-waist-hips, which is important if you're talking about how a sweater is going to hang (or what it will hang from!) It focuses more on shapes that are flattering, and it made me take a look at what I like and don't like about some of my projects. The Geek Chic vest? V neck, ribbed so it will automatically waist shape, and worn with the shirt out the bottom to add balance. No design changes to break up the body.
The Ribby Cardi? Sleek lines, V neck when zipped, and raglan sleeves so no harsh shoulder horizontal.

Every unsatisfactory project has a lesson, I guess, and I did learn this about Petitification: large lace motifs are troublesome. Each lotus is about 1 3/4 " long, making it difficult to shorten by the right measurement. I should have done the math, realized it was either going to be an inch too little or too much, and picked a lace motif with fewer rows.

Knitting-related injury

2006-07-05T17:48:00.000-04:00

I was just about to start working on my actual work. I nearly done checking all my daily knitting web sites. First, the new Knitty is out. Then I had to read the The Panopticon and the Yarn Harlot. Then I got over to Knit and Tonic, and that is when my injury occured.
I was so excited that the Sizzle pattern is out that, while bugging N to paypal it for me RIGHT NOW (Now We Are Six is a good summary of my usual mental state), answering allegations of being evil (which had to do with my "spend money so I can make this cleavage-baring top" strategy), and trying to peer over his shoulder at the yarn requirements while wondering if my SWC Bamboo would work, I inhaled/snorted my beverage.
No, it wasn't a Tasty Beverage either.
Though it was a good guess.
For the last half hour, I've been coughing up Crystal Light. Plus, it got into my sinuses, which, due to allergies, are shall-we-say-congested (I call it f***ed up). Add some liquid in there and I've got serious faux-orange flavored post-nasal drip.

Now, to the project update. It's um . . . okay, well, the thing is . . . my good intentions lasted as long as the weather stayed around 85. Speaking of, now I have a nifty weather pixie so P&P can look at the 95 degree weather and feel sorry for me.
ANYWAY, N and I have decided, what with energy costs and rent increases, to try not to use the AC this summer. I know, it's psychotic. We do get a good cross breeze up here, at least in the computer room, and I'm working mostly at night anyway.
The point is that I can't handle a lapful of wool when it's 95, and 3 of the projects on my list--the red cardigan, the Mariah sweater, and N's sweater, are all at the lapful stage. So, I decided a shift over to socks and a start on the cover sweater from Summer IK was in order.
N's wildfoote socks are just about done--I invented (well, I know other people have done it but I haven't seen it so it's Convergent Knitting) an anatomically correct toe shaping for our short-toed feet, so we don't get the bag of empty sock above the little toes (I could call them "phalanges," but then I'd have to beat myself up).
Of course I also broke out the Bearfoot. I'm doing a little pattern based on one of the mock cables from the Walker Stitch Treasury, and it's coming out really nice. I love hand-dyed sock yarn, and part of the fun is finding just the right stitch pattern for the yarn.
Pictures later this week, when it will hopefully be cool enough to put socks on.

Progress, knitting and otherwise

2006-06-26T01:29:00.000-04:00

I have been good this week. I finished the OnLine striped socks and have been working on the Wildfoote and Bias Corset. I also learned how to do buttonholes, but it was far too hot to try to put a a button band on the cardigan. I sewed the extra button I bought onto the swatch before I forgot what a good idea that would be.

I had serious temptation to resist, as I made another trip to Knitorious this week. The Mountain Colors Bearfoot was in !!! and I had to make sure I got some before they sold out. I love that stuff with a love that is more than a love. Neither the angels in heaven above, nor the demons down under the sea, can ever dissever my soul from the soul of the beautiful Mountain Colors Bearfoot).

Okay, that was a little overdramatic, but it's Poe, so whatever.

So far I have only been posting about one of my passions, and this month saw some progress in the other. My long-awaited first first-author paper is out. Now I have to stop knitting long enough to write the next ones (aka my also long-awaited doctoral thesis).

Both the knitting and the mousey stuff seems to be crawling this summer.

Some More Honesty (with photos)

2006-06-19T15:54:00.000-04:00

1. I did go to Knitorious and get buttons. I was predictably weak, and also got this pretty Gems Pearl sock yarn. I was there in the absolute downpour on Sunday, and my yarn got a little damp (despite clutching the bag to my chest). Luckily the sweater didn't run onto the new sock yarn, but it did all smell a bit like damp wool. Therefore I had the damp sock yarn sitting out all night--and displayed fortitude and sticktoittiveness and did not swatch it. Very happy with the buttons. Now to learn buttonholes.

2. I should finish these socks pretty soon. I posed with them, because they are so comfortable.

3. I almost bought more Wildfoote yesterday too.

4-5. The plain black sportweight is coming along quickly, the Embossed Leaves not so much. The Leaves socks are sort of a dark olive.

6-7-8. I'm going to work on these after I finish this other stuff, so no photos yet.

9. Why yes, that's my favorite color, why do you ask? I love Zephyr.

10. I'm not exactly sure where the pieces are right now . . .

11. I decided to put a collar instead of a hood on like the Mariah pattern calls for. Don't worry, I didn't mis-measure. I really am that short, and I'm making it waist-length.

12. Need to work on this color-brightness issue, but here's the Bias Corset. I should probably try it on before I get to the bust shaping (9 more rows).

13. Blue Sky Alpaca Silk and Crystal Palace Kid Merino in slightly different light greens--one more yellow and one more blue. It makes it luminescent. I was looking for a pattern for the yarn combo for a long time.

Some honesty

2006-06-15T17:03:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's time to admit the truth. I am a big fat liar about the number of projects that are on the needles. When A3 was here in May, I had to admit a little, because she saw, and I was ashamed. I am only admitting it now, because I want to post pictures of things as I finish them. I am not allowed to start something new until I get most of these knocked off.
See, I like to have a lace/complicated project, a pair of socks for travel, and a sweater in the works. Things just got a little out of control.

This does not include projects with a false start (of which I had many this spring), or planned projects, but stuff actually in active working order:

1) "Claret" Cascade 220 cardigan (based on Blue Sky Snap cardigan design). I'm all done except for one sleeve and the button bands. I had the cute snap tape, but the red yarn is bleeding even over several washes, and while a stripe of off-white snap tape will look cute, a stripe of blotchy pink snap tape will not. So I'm off to Knitorious this weekend to look for buttons. And to try not to buy other yarn, but I will not succeed. I still have the lovely SW Trading Co red bamboo (failed Hemp for Knitting lacy top) and periwinkle Creative Focus cotton (failed Picovoli) from my last trip with the birthday money, but that won't stop me. I am weak.

2. Online Summer socks. They were a failed Jaywalker (while absolutely adorable, I couldn't get a gauge that wouldn't be too loose and saggy or too tight to pull over the heel), now they are just plain socks. I'm doing the gusset on the second sock. This also came from Knitorious.

3. N's Wildfoote socks. I learned magic loop in the car on the way back from PA and knit both at once. They are both down to the gusset, but the needle I am using is a size or two too big for the stockinette on the bottom of the foot and the needles I need are in another sock project:

4. Embossed leaf socks from Interweave. Only about an inch on the first sock. Koigu. I love me the Koigu.

5. N's black socks. Sportweight so they will go quickly. I can only knit these in bright natural light, so I have an excuse. Halfway down the cuff on the second one. Supersport (Knitorious again).

6. N's top-down raglan. Poor N. So many things on the needles. This has been on the needles for 18 months. There was a lot of re-knitting in the beginning as I had no idea what size to make, and while the yarn looks good, it feels like knitting with the green wool rugs of my great-grandma's we had in the house growing up. They made nice grass for the stuffed animals to graze on, but it doesn't feel so good between the fingers. An early knitting mistake of mine, but at least the yarn looks good. 5 more inches to the armholes. I am knitting on size 10 needles, and I have promised myself never to knit him a sweater on anything smaller.

7. Crystal Palace Poof scarf and hat. This was an early mistake, I thought it would make a good hoodie. Speaking of carpet, it looks like I'm wearing one. Still, it is very soft and will make a good winter set, so let the unraveling continue. 6 inches of scarf.

8. Previously admitted Kim Hargreaves Precious cardigan. So pretty, but knitting with beads and Kidsilk Haze can only be done when I'm alert and can count on getting an hour or so in without having to stop. One sleeve is done.

9. Fiddlesticks Florence scarf. While lace, a fairly quick knit as it's only 50 sts across. About 1/2 done.

10. Knitted Shaun the sheep. About 1/2 done. This should finish fairly quickly.

11. Mariah cardigan from Knitty. About 4 more inches (bottom-up in the round). Like many of the projects here, it's suffering from mistake-fixing. I had it done, but the armholes were too short. The yarn is special--it's a re-knit of the yarn from my First Sweater, which I got in Scotland. It was spun on a 19th century spinning jenny. The First Sweater was okay, but with gauge problems and sweaters being a lot more roomily cut then, it was very oversized.

12. Bias Corset from Interweave. About 1/3 of the way.

Is that it?

No, there's

13. Kimono style sweater. Design from Knitpicks but with lovely, lovely Blue Sky Alpaca Silk instead. About 1" done.

Pictures to follow and highlight my shame.

A Good Day

2006-05-09T01:31:00.000-04:00

It was Very Good Day. Today N and I went to Target, on the usual get-all-the-soap-trip, and also to get several thousand cotton balls. Apparently someone else has to put 1300 tiny mouse skulls in vials, because they were all sold out.
Then we went to Red Lobster for lunch, because I am a crab junkie . . .

ANYWAY, when we got back I had my Yarnmarket package waiting--the stuff from the gift certificate from P&P (Like my clever code-names for privacy?) Admire the lovely Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn, the nifty hemp pattern, the magnetic snaps for purses, and the new Chibi darning needles.

But, wait! It gets better. The Summer IK was in the mailbox, which was fantastic because I got some Rowan 4-ply soft with my other birthday money. (It's my last birthday, btw, until some progress is made. No, I'm not all Ally-McBeal-OMG!!!111!! I'm 30 and NOT MARRIED!! Perish the thought. It's about professional goals. And I'm not 30. Yet.)
The new yarn is to make the very interesting Annie Modesitt Bias Corset. It has some new shaping techniques for me to try out. I am going to try to add some straps, so I can wear it with a regular bra. I don't want to buy a strapless bra, because it would cut into the yarn budget . . .
I should add, the color is "Victoria," which is kind of an eggplant. I could be classy and say "aubergine," but I'm not sure how to spell it, and spelling it wrong would be declasse, thus cancelling out my attempted poshness.

2006-05-05T04:32:00.000-04:00

After 2 attempts at Picovoli, I'm going to have to call it a day on the top-down raglan. It's a very well-written pattern, with lovely tables and diagrams and suggested measurements and
everything my sciency mind appreciates, but the
plain fact is that Petitification works better bottom-up. It's easier to guess (until one gets the
perfect measurement figured out) and knit 1.5" less to the underarm, and mess with the neckline at the end. Top-down, it's all got to be re-done if the bra straps show. Version 1.0 resulted in a very over-sized neckline. Version 2.0 was better, but still a bit too much slack around the neck and a new strange problem appeared with the waist decreases--some bulges in the back. I probably need to do different increase rates at back and front. . .
The picture does not do the color justice. It's Creative Focus cotton, and sky blue-almost periwinkle. I'll have to hunt up some photo editing freewear that lets me adjust brightness.

Jaywalker, on the other hand, is coming out nicely once I hit on the correct needle size--the ball band and I had a rare falling out. I did learn Magic Loop while making a ginormous sock. I've got some Southwest Trading Co bamboo in a lovely shade of ruby red and a cute Hemp for Knitting pattern until I feel ready to face the cotton again, but the bamboo looks a bit snaggy and I'll need some patience to cast-on the 207 sts (it's bottom-up in-the-round).

I think I'll do a page of fit tips for short knitters. I'm a fit nazi.

2006-04-13T05:17:00.000-04:00

Here is my Mountain Colors Geek-Chic Vest.
It is the first time I've done a neckband and been happy with it.
It's in the Alpaca Blend (50/50 alpaca & wool), color Wilderness.

Getting Started

2006-04-06T19:53:00.000-04:00

Well, let's see. The idea here is to post pictures of things to show people. Maybe I will post lots of things, maybe I won't. We'll just have to see.