July 28, 2004
I see the knitting future!
We are going to hopefully be at a SnB in Somerville on Sunday.
Betsy is still working diligently on Kyoto (damn thing).
Omar is contemplating his next knitting move. Will it be Broad Street in some 6-ply Regia? Or the Flappers hat in Cascade 220?
We've been contemplating the Fall issue of Interweave. Omar wants the Basketweave Pullover. Ooh, Patons Classic Wool is actually affordable! Perhaps the girl will knit it for him, since she is considerably speedier. Betsy wants the Gauntlet Gloves. Oooh, cashmere is not affordable. Debbie Bliss Cashmerino might be, though. Omar can knit them, since he has more patience with complex patterns.
And so our two lovers ride off into the sunset, which looks like a big orange ball of Lamb's Pride Bulky.
Posted by Betsy at 08:09 AM | Comments (3)
July 27, 2004
multidirectional entry
I feel like I must post because I nagged Omar so long about this blog. We are going to make it pretty and trick it out, we just need time to decide on design and get to know movable type.
Little project first: I've been making a multidirectional scarf in Noro Kureyon in color 95, which is all sorts of lime, yellow, raspberry and olive goodness. I love raspberry and olive together so much! And I finally learned to do short rows. My breasts will be accommodated. Anyway, the scarf is great but I need more Kureyon in this colorway, I only had one ball.
Now for Kyoto progress. I had seamed the shoulders and picked up the collar and knit it and bound it off when I discovered that the front pieces were on backwards. I thought I was going to cry. I do not understand stair step shoulder seams at all. Anyway, I've reseamed the shoulders and the sides. I am going to pick up a sleeve next because I can't quite deal with knitting that collar again. I would like to be done with this within the month.
Guilty conscience: Wedding Afghan for friend whose 1 year anniversary rapidly approaches. Knit on size 36s, what is my problem?
When we discovered the Kureyon behind the dresser while cleaning the closet, we also found an extra pair of size 36 47" circs. I need to swap 'em.
I can't wait to see my llama's face. Maybe it is just too lame to call her Dolly.
Yarn hunt for Salt Peanuts continues. And we're on the lookout for a good pullover pattern for Omar, hopefully that would use our stash of 20 balls of Lana D'oro in Olive. Like the one in the new IK, but would need three more balls. Sigh.
Posted by Betsy at 08:07 AM | Comments (0)
July 26, 2004
We have llama!
I took care of the finishing work on Saturday, and that evening we felted our little fuzzy pack animal by hand. It turned out alright, but Sunday morning I felted the llama again in the washing machine again, just to try to get some of those hard to reach spots. The machine felting got it quite a bit fuzzier, so that was an unexpected side benefit.
The real trouble is that the neck seems to be way too long, and the the legs are such that it looks more like a real llama than a fuzzy llama toy with cute little stunted legs, the way it does in the photos. At the moment, the llama is stuffed with plastic bags to encourage a llamaish shape, and sometime soon I'll stuff it and figure out how to give it eyes and such.
Then, of course, we'll have to decide if it's a he or a she. Betsy wants to name it Dolly, so I suppose "she" is the front runner.
Posted by omar at 05:27 PM | Comments (14)
July 24, 2004
Introductions aside
As a sort of inagural entry, I would like to say that the work on the llama is nearing its exciting, shrinky conclusion. This evening I made two hooves and stitched up the seams along its underbelly. The daunting thing was that I'm making the hooves out of a double strang of mohair and I have to pick up a bunch of stitches to get going. The whole process isn't the sort of thing you want to try when you're already excessively tired.
However, each hoof is only something like two rows, maybe three. The ears and tail are about that many each and then my little creature goes into the dipping sauce and comes out much smaller and much, much fuzzier! If the Lopi that Betsy worked with on her fuzzy feet is any example, this should be one durned fuzzy-assed llama.
Posted by omar at 04:12 AM | Comments (7)
July 19, 2004
Salt Peanuts!
Yay! My prospectus isn't due until tomorrow!
Am tired and sore (somehow I've misaligned my neck).
So now I get to go buy yarn. Ha!
Okay, I'm going to be responsible. As the Kyoto sweater is sort of trucking towards a finish (I'd give it another month, which probably doesn't sound soon to you, but it does to me!) I have once again began obessively coveting a Salt Peanuts. There are some simply gorgeous products from the two knitalongs that are going right now.
Let's talk yarn, though. Some people have been sticking to the Bergamo, which is a wool tape. It purportedly ravels but does great with the cables and has a neat texture. The link I provided above is made with a multi non-tape wool, and is gorgeous. I think what really makes the pattern is the shaping. However, I like to play with new types of yarn. Unfortunately, Elann sold out of the color I really wanted in the Bergamo (Plum Wine) and I am not willing to buy 23 balls unless it's deeply discounted.
Enter WEBS. Oh, I love you, WEBS. I also am always lusting after Artful Yarns, but can never afford them. They have a print wool tape yarn called Vaudeville on clearance (and still discountable). After my Kyoto color disaster, I am too wise to order without a shade card. But I think Fabric Place in Woburn has this yarn, and I want to go buy one ball of it to swatch with. I need to feel it, see colors, and see what the lace cables look like. So that's where I'm headed, I think. My instinct says color 13, but that's so predictibly me. I was thinking 12 might be nice, green would be a good addition to my wardrobe.
I have class four nights instead of three this week because of the...you guessed it, DNC.
Please nag Omar to make our knitting blog, my nagging alone is apparently not enough.
Posted by Betsy at 08:28 PM | Comments (1)
July 16, 2004
more kyoto, snb
So I have now frogged the left front piece of Kyoto twice. Time one: I must've been totally spacing, I wasn't making the decreases on the same side each time. Time two was much more complicated. After much counting of little stitches, we realized I had been decreasing at the wrong interval in the right front piece, but it had worked out and produced the right length. So although I was over half done with the left piece, I had to rip it out because it was tapering too fast and didn't match the right piece. ARGH! So frustrating.
Must remember koan: see the stitch as already ripped out.
I don't even want to talk about product vs. process knitting.
We're trying to start a Stitch N Bitch in Somerville besides the one at the West Branch Library on Mondays. The problem is that people are so wedded to the idea of having it in Davis Square on Sunday afternoons. Finding group seating at Diesel or Someday on a Sunday would be a great feat. I've suggested two places in Union Square and sort of been shot down. Maybe we'll try Carberry's. I would really like to have a group of people to knit with.
I again have a big old crush on Salt Peanuts
Not in orange, though! Probably Fig or Plum Wine, or a different yarn all together. .
Posted by Betsy at 08:26 PM | Comments (0)
July 13, 2004
bikini!
I have finished the first front piece of Kyoto and cast on the other. Omar, on the other hand, is making me a felted llama. He is the most awesome boyfriend in the whole world. Not to mention he has taught himself tons of new techniques so far, including short rows :)
Also, I have been reading lots of knit blogs and wanting one, they're fun. But to make it even more fun (and to have my own personal web designer!) -Omar and I are going to start one together. I know, it's disgustingly cute. We are still debating on the name, so far all that has been proposed is something about knitted llama ass.
Some very innovative ladies on the Ample Knitters list have decided to turn the men's thong from knitty into a bra-top/bikini for the D+ crowd. I am excited, but lazy, so as soon as someone posts the adapted pattern, I'm so there.
Posted by Betsy at 08:24 PM | Comments (0)
July 08, 2004
knitting stuff
I am back on the wagon with my Kyoto sweater. I finished the back tonight, and cast on one of the two front pieces. I have the obi finished, after I finish the front pieces, I'll seam what I have together and then pick up stitches for the collar and sleeves.
Here's a nice finished Kyoto. I love and covet that ribbon dress, too.
The other big knitting priority is to finish the afghan for my friend who got married last fall. (I've only talked to her once since, but oh well). It's Homespun on huge 47" size 36 addi circs. I still don't feel like it's half done yet (I'm using the classic dishcloth diagonal pattern). Then I'll do a crochet edge. Will a single crochet followed by a double create a scalloped edge? I still know nothing about crocheting.
Once I finish a project, I'd like to knit a semi-large project in the round (eyelet skirt from knitty), just because I am so sick of knitting stockinette flat. I am almost done with the 2nd sleeve for my orange Zelda cardigan, and am I dreading casting on the body, which is just another huge flat plain of stockiette. I wish I could purl like the wind.
Tell me what you're knitting, even if I already know!
Posted by Betsy at 08:21 PM | Comments (0)