$100 for a hat

Have you seen this hat? It's retailing for $100. Amazing.

[Somehow this item didn't get published in January...]

Cute bag pattern

Found this on moonlightstitches's blog. Isn't it cute? I have spent time perusing Berocco's free patterns before, but I'm not sure this would have registered, even if I saw it before. Funny how you have to be in the right place and time (literally and figuratively) to appreciate something. I could do this with the yarn left over from my Alpaca Cardi (I have three skeins left). Not sure what I'd do for a handle, but that will sort itself out later.

Can't. Stop.

Just found a new (to me, anyway) sweater pattern at WEBS. The Calvin Turtleneck (scroll down to #153) in their Stockbridge yarn. Think it's named for Calvin Klein? The ribbing on the sides looks super-flattering.

I checked in with the lovely Customer Service people there on yardage for the pattern, and it sounds like the second size (38"), which would work for me, calls for 11 hanks of the yarn. Which is $3.99 per. Must control myself.

Think it would look good in the deep red? I wish they had a nice, chocolate-y brown. The camel is nice, too.

In Hourglass news, I've done the increases on the sleeve and am just doing some straight knitting until it's the proper length. Though I'm doing the second size, same as last time, I'm increasing the arm length, same as last time, since my limbs go on for days, same as last time. I should be able to put the whole shebang on a holder/some waste yarn tonight and wash to see how the lace blocks out. Then it will be time to figure out the body, how much lace, perhaps a few stacked up repeats in some interesting place a la Teva Durham's Lace Leaf Pullover (check out the first sweater after the book cover image). I'm saving the second sleeve for after I get the body up to the join.

So close!

Just a few more rows for Grandma's shawl, and then I'll have to send it out to Illinois. Three skeins of Kidsilk Haze on your lap is so amazing. And I have another three in a taupey colorway that are waiting for the right pattern, perhaps Wing o' the Moth.

Confession: I ordered some yarn in my first group buy from 100purewool. Very exciting! I chose some bulky Corriedale for a hat project (Undyed, Springtime, Ocean, Rosado, and mmmmmmm Celeste - that last one might be for me), a skein of the merino laceweight in blue knots (now that Handpaintedyarn no longer seems to offer their laceweight merino) for some sort of shawl, some of the worsted merino in Sky for a sweater for me (top-down raglan, I think, with ribs, perhaps), and a couple of skeins of the worsted in Pasionaria for a Minisweater.

Luckily, all that will take a while to get here so I can work on some stash busting: Fetchings for me, a ribbed hat for Peter, and a sweater for Isobel, I think. Then there is that Hourglass Sweater in Schaeffer yarn to think about. And the Slouchy Cardigan from Greetings from Knit Cafe in ??? What yarn? They used Twisted Sisters Alpaca, I think. Maybe Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca & Silk? I heart that yarn.

Oy, I still have all that boucle calling out to be a sweater, but I'm going to have to write up a pattern and do schematics and measure for that one. I should figure it out though and get started.

Did you catch that? My knitting book diet was blown. I bought Greetings from Knit Cafe after talking about the Slouchy Cardi with a friend. And there are a couple of other things in there worth making: the Alpaca & Silk Beret, that lacy mohair shawl, and a few others I'm spacing on. It's a nice book

Kid in a Candy Store

So, after a painful Ashtanga (I thought it was Vinyasa, which would have been bad enough!) Yoga class on Sunday, I helped out the ladies at Yarns in the Farms by taking care of the shop for the afternoon. As always it was a lot of fun. I got to fondle yarn, dawdle over patterns, help a few people with projects (two, count 'em, two paying customers!), and hang out with no small creatures to worry about thanks to Peter staying home with the kitten/puppy/toddler show.

I cast on a sleeve for the Alpaca Cardigan, which I decided was the better pattern for my Alpaca Regal. At least with a cardigan you have the option of opening for ventilation. The beautiful Trumpet sweater with it's exaggerated cowl could be a roaster, even if I am more apt to shiver than broil. I'll have to find another yarn down the line for that one.

The yarn is yummy and knits up very nicely (and quickly!). I decided to start with a sleeve since it's smaller (I can re-check gauge without having to destroy half the project), and they can get tedious due to lack of "stuff" (ooh, increase at both sides every ninth row - be still, my beating heart), so why not start with that? When you're all excited about the project anyway, why not work on a moderately tedious part of said project? Then when you need the excitement of waist shaping to keep your interest, after the novelty of the luscious yarn has worn off (that's not possible, darling Alpaca Regal; I'll never tire of you), you've got it.

After I'd done a couple of repeats I realized that I should have done both sleeves at the same time, but I'm too far along now, and It will all be fine. I supposed I could go back and start the other sleeve, work to the same point, then alternate, since I have the lovely Plymouth Bamboo Sister Needle Set from Peter and can change circular length with the flick of a wrist. But I think I'll do one at a time. Wrangling two skeins in my household is probably a recipe for disaster at this point.

Back to the fondling and dawdling, though. I have been mooning over Eiffel since checking out the Sexy Knitters Club, who are doing this as one of their KALs (Knitalongs). I've considered doing it in the suggested yarn, Hemp6, but I think I'd like something warmer, though the properties of hemp sound interesting. What about Blue Sky Alpacas' Alpaca Silk? I think it has a similar drape but with more warmth and sheen. There are a number of hanks in Blue (surprise!) at the shop. But I had also thought of that yarn for another Hourglass Sweater, knowing what I now know about the pattern (make it longer and consider alternatives to the turned hems). But the Alpaca Silk might be too drapey for the pattern.

What about Schaefer Nancy? 600 yards per skein in some astounding colorways. Though I have to say, having mooned over the skeins at the shop yesterday, the color cards on Schaeffer's website are terrible. As are a lot of online yarn shops. Wow. But back to Nancy... Slightly finer than Elaine but same bumpy, thick and thin texture. I'm thinking Jane Addams from Memorable Women VI, which has vibrant fuchsia and some forest green. Don't look at the color card, which doesn't show nearly as much rose as the skeins of Elaine at the shop. There are no skeins of Jane Addams in Nancy at the shop, so I had to use the ol' imagination. But I think it would make a cosy Hourglass Sweater.

I like spelling it "cosy", don't you? Such the anglophile.

I think I'd love the Emily Dickinson or Catherine the Great colorways, but they only come in silk.

But back to the yarn. Two skeins should make a sweater, no? I mean that's 1200 yards of worsted weight yarn. I think the gauge is spot-on to the Cash Iroha used in the book. I don't know why some of the online purveryors say you need three or four. Maybe if you're making something enormous. Oh, and I loved the online store that told you to contact them for information on how many skeins a sweater would require. Come on. They probably teach a sweater class without giving out the pattern. You have to go back each week to progress.

And then there is the Jo Sharp Alpaca Lustre. That is some seriously yummy yarn. I wouldn't wear the orange, but it is so luscious. And the Reynolds Odyssey is alluring: 100% Merino in these multi colorways.

Of course, I still have to finish the Alpaca Cardigan and the unpatterned Handpaintedyarn Boucle. And some Fetchings, a hat for Peter in Malabrigo, a sweater for Isobel in Malabrigo, my grandmother's shawl, a new winter hat for me in Sheep Shop 1. I should participate in the Knit From Your Stash-along, but where's the fun in that? I also need to get some pictures up on this plain, white blog, no?

Ooh, I did finish two pairs of Garter Gloves for Isobel's Toddler Room teachers over the weekend. They were almost dry this morning, so I should be able to wrap them up tonight and gift them tomorrow!

Happy New Year!

I've had my eye on some Misti Alpaca Chunky at the LYS and just stumbled across this pattern, which looks nice. Just a few more projects to finish up before I'm full-bore on the Knit for Me in 2007 wagon.

I did knit up a little shrug in some bulky merino from Handpaintedyarn.com in Paris Morn, a pretty grey and rose variegated yarn, which they no longer seem to carry (or have renamed - it looks like Paris Night is now Persephone). It's drying now, so we'll see how it works. I may add a ribbed collar/edge since the part along the back is stockinette, so it curls. I ended up knitting it in two pieces (one skein for each) and kitchener stitching up the middle. I thought of doing a three-needle bindoff, since I haven't done that before, but I think the kitchener stitch works better at the center of the back. I could have done it all in one piece, but since the first skein ran out about the time I hit the middle, I thought I'd practice some finishing techniques. I also knit this flat (work on mattress stitch to finish) but could have done it in the round.

So, I'm still working on Grandma's shawl - just added the last skein (of three). I cast on for a 2x2 rib hat for DH in some orange Malabrigo (sooo soft). And then I have to knit up something for my daughter's two daycare teachers, since she's transitioning to the next room this month. I can't believe she's moving up again! I'm thinking mitts of some sort. I found two skeins of Nature Wool Bulky at A.C. Moore - one pink, one lavender - on sale, as well as a skein of their no-name Cashmerino in a rich grey. Or maybe I'll do a pair of the Garter Gloves - they're so quick and toasty.

At the LYS on Saturday I got some Reynolds Alpaca Regal in a lovely periwinkle color. Nine skeins. On sale. Which gives me 990 yards of Alpaca goodness. So, now I have to find the right pattern. I'm thinking a simple top-down raglan sweater with perhaps some pattern stitches somewhere. Maybe some cabling - I think the yarn would cable nicely. Since it's a chunky yarn (ballband calls for US10s), I should be able to get a small sweater out of it. Maybe I need to pick up another ball, perhaps a contrasting color for edging.

I just found a stitch book that a friend gave me when clearing out her unused knitting stuff: Mon Tricot 1100 Stitch Patterns. There are some very pretty patterns in there I haven't seen before, and it runs the gamut. Very inspiring.

Kool-Aid

Just in case I don't decide to do the Aran Tree Skirt (and, yes, I bought Handknit Holidays last night!), I'm still exploring the Kool-Aid dye adventure with all that Lopi, and this color card will be helpful in deciding on colors. Soon, my pretty pile of yarn, you will actually be pretty. One way, or the other.

Isn't December 20th the time to start Christmas knitting?

We've put up the tree and put a store-bought skirt beneath it, which looks OK, but last night I had a brainwave: Why not use some of the undyed Lopi to make a fantastic, cabled 'n' bobbled Christmas Tree Skirt? I'm venturing down the google-hole but have a feeling I may end up heading into uncharted (hehe) territory. Someone on the Knitlist mentioned that there are a couple of skirts in Melanie Falick's Handmade Holidays, including an Aran one, so I'll have to check the book out again at Knit Night tonight. Someone's doing it. Look, how pretty!

I did find this at Knitting Pattern Central. Perhaps we need some of those. Peter and I have some nice store-bought stockings friends gave us when we were first married (red and green for me, the little Catholic girl, and blue and purple for him, the nice Jewish boy), but maybe it's time for us to get more personal. I have a stocking at my parents' house that my grandmother made me when I was little, as do my siblings. And Mom needlepointed a stocking for Isobel when she was born; she's working on one for Frances now. But if we're going to spend Christmas in Gloucester, Fisherman's Stockings might be appropriate. Plus, I have all that yarn.

Just found some more cuteness! I think Christine's chat about cables on her Pointy Sticks podcast got me in a cable mood.

In other Christmas news, I gave my knitted gifts to my family this past weekend (scarves and hats), and Mom got her Clapotis, which I think she really likes. Now, I need to finish Grandma's shawl. I got a fair bit of work done on it between flying to Chicago and being a passenger on the way to and from visiting her. I'm on to the second skein (yay!). It's good, mindless stockinette, but I think I'm getting itchy for a pattern with a little more going on. Time to start Isobel's Christmas sweater (Purple Magic Malabrigo sweater).

Newsboy cap

New obsession! I need a hat to go with my garter gloves and purchased another skein of Sheep Number One from Sheep Shop Yarn Company at my LYS. But I don't want to do the same old same old. This is me we're talking about! So, I thought a newsboy cap would be cute. But it is almost impossible to find a knit pattern online. Only crochet. I can only master one craft right now, and it's knitting. So, after much time down the google-hole, I found this, which is pretty cool. I've encountered the Knitting Fiend's pattern generators before, so I'm feeling pretty good about this.

I did find another one, but I'm not wild about the pattern stitch.

Crackin' along

Did a few more rows of the shawl for Grandma last night. Unfortunately, it probably won't be ready for Christmas, since there are some other projects to crank out, too. The teachers at Isobel's daycare need gifts (garter stitch gloves? wristlets? hats? gift cards, definitely, or cash), and I have to do a hat for my Dad, but I want some Ladrillo Malabrigo to go with the Azul Bolita for a little contrast.

The beret for Mom is done but needs some blocking, I think, and maybe a bit of elastic woven into the ... brim - part that goes on your head. Purl Scarves for Sis and SIL are complete, as is a funky cable-pattern version in Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky for my Bro. I completed the asymmetrical cable hat from One Skein for Peter in this Chunky Wool from Araucania - I'd made him gloves out of the Nature Wool, which is more like sportweight, last winter. After one repeat of the cable pattern I was ready to rip the hat out, feeling it was too loose on the "prescribed" needles, but in the end I like it.

So, I need to make something for Isobel (probalby mittens to go with her hat and scarf), something for my niece, something for my BFF and perhaps her husband and son, Isobel's teachers, and Dad. Oh, and my colleagues want wristlets of some sort, so I'll have to see about that. Next year is going to be the Year of Selfish Knitting, I think. Until November, of course.

OTN: Purl Beret

Have I mentioned this pattern? I'm making one with the Handpaintedyarn Boucle in Tortuga. Love the color - it's like a dark tortoise shell, which makes sense with the name. The boucle yarn is interesting, and when I swatched it up a while back, I found that the purl side of stockinette fabric was its best side, so this pattern is perfect. It's a gift, and the intended has a beautiful, dark chocolate shearling coat, so this should look fabu with it. Just hope the headband isn't too itchy or anything.

This is also a good way for me to work with the boucle to decide if it will work for my totally theoretical En Garde sweater in the Natura colorway. Because the yarn is so thick and thin, it won't make a solid fabric, which is probably just fine. I had originally thought to make a sweater with this yarn in the round (all knit) and then turn it inside-out so the "purl" side shows, but the En Garde idea is more cardigan-like with a wide, red, silk ribbon tie on the side. Hehe. Get it? Ahem. Sorry, I'm a geek. Anyway, that means stockinette back and forth.

The big issue with this yarn is I would not want to make any mistakes while knitting with it. I think it would be a pain to tink or frog back to a certain point.

Finis!

I've dropped the last stitch, woven in the @#$% ends, and she is complete. Now, I just need to wash and block the Clapotis, and it's ready for giving. It really is lovely. I know many folks don't block theirs, but I'd like to gain some length on this one. I'll post a picture after the bathing.

I also cast on and off one of these cute garter stitch gloves in Sheep Shop #1. That took about 2.5 hours to do. I might just have to make more for gifts, though my cow-orker basically asked for some wrist warmers today. I'm wearing an old pair I made from Manos waaaay back at the beginning of my knitting. As FOs, they're pretty awful, but they do the trick in my air-conditioned office today (yes, it was 60 degrees in here earlier - craziness).

Isobel refused to wear her birthday sweater yesterday, except for a brief foray outside when I insisted she wear a sweater. Guess it isn't one of my more successful knits for her. Today she wore her First Birthday Sweater (Shocking Pink Malabrigo Placket Sweater from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts - great pattern and super soft yarn. Perhaps I'll make another one for her in another Malabrigo color. The merino is just so lovely, even if it does pill.

Cable patterns

I'm on the hunt for a pattern I saw last month. It's a big cable scarf pattern that's reversible. I believe the pattern was a PDF and the photo was of a red scarf. Still wandering down the google hole...

But I found this cute cable purse pattern in my wanderings. Instead of a handle like that I think I've seen others that used a fat DPN for a handle.

...

Hey, I just found one. I don't think it's the one I'm thinking of, but I know I saw it in previous wanderings.

More great free patterns here. I know I saw this blog long ago, as I remember that cami with the embellishment.

Found its! I must have stumbled across it on a Knitting Pattern Central. I'm not crazy!

But now I can't remember why I was so keen to have such a pattern in the first place today.

Shawls

Kiri is beautiful, and I think I found it before I heard St. Brenda mention it. Then there is the Wing of the Moth shawl, which Wendyknits knit and looks amazing - I mentioned that in an earlier post. The Yarn Harlot has a Snowdrop shawl that I considered before I ended up doing Clapotis.

We need better lighting by the couch before I do any real lace knitting.

French Girl patterns

How cute is this? Doesn't hurt that the pattern is called Isobel. I just read about French Girl patterns on the Knitlist. I just wish they had more information about the patterns on their site (sizes, how much yarn, needles, etc.). They do list the yarn used, but I think knowing how much yarn a project is going to require helps in making a decision. Ah, Jimmy Beans Wool includes some pattern information but doesn't have as many patterns for sale. Looks like the patterns are Rowan-centric, yarn-wise, though, again, Jimmy Beans Wool shows some alternative yarn options when Rowan has discontinued the yarn for the pattern.

In other news I dropped another two stitches on Clapotis. In the straight section I could manage one repeat a night, and yesterday I did one decrease repeat. I hope to increase the number of rows as we decrease the stitches on the needles because I want to finish this! There are so many other things to knit.

For that future project with the Boucle, I want to call it En Garde and tie it closed with a big, red, silky ribbon. What do you think? I want it be quite shaped in the body, too. It's starting to take shape!

Home stretch

I started the decrease portion on Clapotis last night! Thank goodness, since I was getting a little bored. The decreases make things go faster, especially since you drop two stitches in each repeat. Big fun. Someone on the Clapotis KAL group forgot to do the second drop stitch and had to frog back. I'm sorry that happened but am glad to have read the cautionary tale before embarking upon the decrease myself. It's looking really lovely.

While listening to CraftLit and Cast-On this morning on the drive in, I started to imagine all sorts of future sweaters, as well as learning to spin. Heather recorded her podcast at SOAR, and Brenda spoke with her sister, Pam, for the Today's Sweater segment. I think I'd like to knit a bulky sweater like the Green Leaves on in Loop-d-Loop, especially since I just received something like 13 skeins of Lopi wool. I might try my hand at dying, too, since the Lopi is "natural".

Other project ideas include some sort of shrug, and those Kidsilk Haze arm warmers from One Skein, though I don't think I'd actually wear them.

If I were to try spinning, I think I'd go with a drop spindle first, to see if I like it at all. Wheels are a huge investment, but one would certainly fit in our house. The previous owner (who gave me the Lopi) had a wheel.

[Added] I'm not sure I'm up for the Leaf Lace Pullover (also in Interweave Knits Summer 2005), having googled it a bit. You Kitchener up the sides, and then you Kitchener the sleeves to the body. Gah. Plus, I'm not crazy about the ribbed hemline. Being an Apple, I am generally against anything that squeezes in the hemline of something around my middle, which is why I prefer turned hems or just letting them roll in stockinette.

Superwash

I've been thinking about making another sweater for DD, something out of a superwash wool. It's tough raising a toddler, working, taking care of (or trying to) a big, old house, etc. etc. We all know the story. But the last thing I want to do is handwash sweaters that get covered in ketchup half the time. I'm pretty much pro-natural fiber, so I can't just knit everything for her out of acrylic (I did start one for her but it's turned into a UFO).

So, today I found this bit of information, which may help me make a decision on some yarn. Like I need more. But I would like to add a supwerwash fiber option to my repetoire, and it looks like Cascade 200 Superwash might be it. Now, I just have to find an LYS that carries it so I can fondle before I buy.

Then I'll have to find a pattern.

In other news I attended the Tuesday Knit Night at my LYS, which is the new night so is less crowded. It was nice to meet some new folks and see others who can't attend Wednesday's KN. I got to drop another stitch on Clapotis and think two more repeats of the straight section might do it, which is good as I want to start knitting other things! But this must be finished before I start anything else.

DD cardi pattern I couldn't find before

This was another possiblity for the wrap sweater, but I couldn't find the link after the initial click some time back. Thanks to the blue blog's blogline list! I could still make one...

'nother online yarn store

One of my colleagues told me about this store. They have Malabrigo for a good price. And their B&M store is open T-Sa 10-4 (F 10-3). I want that.

Seriously, the more I think about it, the more I want a yarn store. I know, it's crazy. I'm not even that big a fan of retail. Time to do some research.

She's baaack!

Brenda Dayne has returned to the podwaves! I hadn't realized how much I missed hearing her voice until I started up the new episode of Cast-On during yesterday's drive home. My only gripe is that there was no Today's Sweater. Next week, I hope.

Lime 'n' Violet did a Kill Bill Halloween special, which they obviously had fun doing, but I wanted Yarn P***! I'm sure I would have found it more enjoyable if I'd seen the movie, though I'm starting to think if you've seen one or two Tarantino projects, you have a good handle on how the rest go.

Still have to listen to Heather Ordover's latest 'cast, but she recorded a Happy Podiversary message for Brenda.

Did you know about Knit the Classics? I may have to join that one, though I'm not sure I could keep up with the reading and knitting. They've read some really good books. I may just have to join and keep up as best I can.

In other news no one at Knit Night has Tudor Roses, but one woman works at the library and said they can get anything via Inter-Library loan, so I may have to investigate that further. I'd really just like to see all the patterns in one place out of curiosity, especially now that I've started reading The Constant Princess. Philippa Gregory's other Tudor era books have been great fun, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this one.

Did another repeat on Clapotis for a grand total of eight dropped stitches. I'm trying to do one repeat a night. Then, I have no idea how long the "closing" section will take. Hopefully, I'll be done by the middle of the month.

Which is good since I bought some yummy blue Sheep Shop #1 to make a cute pair of garter stitch gloves (pattern free with yarn purchase at my LYS). DH was shocked (haha) to see the color of my yarn purchase. I don't want to start them until Clapotis is finished. But it's supposed to be cold this weekend!