It seems like an odd time to become obsessed by Christmas, but I was checking out my queue on Ravelry today, and I have a LOT of knitting to do before the big day. I mean a MOUNTAIN of knitting before me.... I decided to get everything ordered in my head, to try to make sure that I get the knitting done, so here we go:
1. Brenda's grand-daughter's Color Block Cardigans- they have to come first because she has paid for the yarn and will pay for the knitting. They go pretty quickly, thank goodness!
2. Ian's B-for-Butthead sweater- I know, I know I am not allowed to actually put a B on it, but that is what I choose to call it.... I am going to get the supply list to Susan this week.
3. Lauren's Adventure Bag- in red as ordered... :-) That one should be a pretty quick knit, too, though lining it will be its own adventure!
4. Sean's Sock Monkey Hat- quick and fun, and involving very little yarn.
5. Susan's Clapotis- no that is not a social disease, it's a shawl. She has mentioned wanting one, and this one is pretty and basic. I am not up to massive lace knitting, especially with a queue like this!!
6. Vintage Bubble Bags for all! I still haven't decided who and how many people are getting these, but they are on the list.
And that is it. I am not knitting for a bunch of people who won't appreciate it.... I have done too much of that in the past! I have to decide what to do for a bunch of other people, but that is probably all the knitting I can handle.
I looked for a group on Ravelry where I could organize this mess and talk to people about it, but they all looked cutesy. Nothing against them, but it wasn't the kind of thing I am looking for. I will work it out here, talking to myself! That is what that is for, after all, right??
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Knitting binge.
Ok, so I haven't managed to post in ages because I have barely put down the knitting needles or the Ravelry forums most of this month!! See to your left the completed home-made blocking board on its inaugural run, showcasing the lovely first Lizard Ridge square. It worked VERY well, the block dried in less than a day this time! Lets hear it for moisture wicking qualities! Exciting stuff....
I have knitted and knitted on the Lizard Ridge until I have only three skeins of my birthday yarn left. I have enjoyed myself immensely, though, so I consider it well worth it! Trying to prolong my pleasure, I took a break, however, and knit....
An entire sweater for Brenda's granddaughter. It has turned out great, except for the truly frightening neon green color she chose. That green puts highlighters to shame. It hurts me. The sweater, almost completely sewn together, is very cute.... And too small. Fortunately, Brenda has three granddaughters, two of whom are smaller than Zadian! We are going to re-order yarn and start over on a larger size! I am so glad that Brenda likes it.... Zadian wanted to keep it today even though the pink sleeve isn't sewn closed yet! No finer compliment, that!
To be fair, abject poverty did give me some extra time to work on various and sundry knitting projects... I think the trip to Italy has been longer for those left behind than those seeing the sights!
I am gonna go block another square!! Whoopie!!!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Adventures in Home Improvement Land.
I got a square blocked, and I am very, very pleased with the results. It is much more supple, slightly softer, and significantly uncurled. The "bubbles" are not completely flattened, and I kind of like that effect. All in all, it is a worthy transformation. I am newly converted to the cult of blocking.
Which brings me to my recent foray into the world of the home improvement warehouse. I found a reference on Ravelry to a home-made blocking board, which interested me due to the 80-90$ prices I have seen on store bought ones. So, I found the instructions on Knitty.com and proceeded to gather the supplies. It called for 2-2' squares of homasote, one inch thick plus cover fabric and the stuff to stick it all together. (According to Wikipedia: Homasote is a type of wallboard made from recycled paper that is compressed under high temperature and pressure and held together with a glue. It is the stuff that ceiling tiles are made of, and they conveniently come in 2x2 squares, pre-cut.) I got the gingham fabric and staple gun at Hancock Fabrics and when that came to 30$ I began to wonder if I wouldn't be better off in the long run to buy a blocking board. But I persevered, and off to Lowe's I trotted.
In Lowe's, I asked the first red-vested person I came across and she gestured vaguely towards the complete other end of the store and said that ceiling tiles were in Building Materials. Duh. So, there I stood all tiny and lost staring at a sea of section signs, none of which actually said Building Materials. Gamely, my mother and I marched in that direction and the length of a football field later, we asked another woman where to find ceiling tiles. She, more specifically, offered that they were on isle 17. We traversed the entire length of isle 17, and alas, no ceiling tiles. We wandered vaguely around in the wall board section for a time, and managed to flag down a passing employee. He said that isle 18 is what we were looking for... Notice that at this point, not a single CUSTOMER SERVICE person in this place has offered to take us to the product we were looking to purchase? So, isle 18 it was and we FINALLY found the ceiling tiles. The bad news was that none of them were 1 inch thick (1/2 or 5/8 only.) and all of them were labeled for sale as whole boxes even though each selection had an open box on top. And there we stood in isle 18, alone and unhelped.
My mom left me standing in front of the ceiling tiles in case anyone came close enough or cared enough to see why I was standing alone staring at the ceiling tiles for so long and went the length of a football field back to customer service to ask someone to come help us. She made it there and back without me seeing anyone who worked there, and someone finally sent a sweaty 13-year-old boy who supposedly worked there to ask what we needed. I explained that I needed the homasote for a blocking board, and it therefore needed to be moisture wicking and hold up to pinning, etc, and he told me that he doesn't know what homasote and could I use plastic coated insulation board? I told him that homasote is the stuff that ceiling tiles are made of, and that is the reason we were standing in front of the ceiling tiles asking about ceiling tiles, and that plastic coated insulation board would be waterproof, not moisture wicking. He said that ceiling tiles were only available by the box and he doesn't think they sell any of that homasote, because he has never heard of it. After more head scratching and sweating, he went to find someone else to ask.
He brought back three other guys (where were they when we were searching the warehouse for help???) and they all said that they don't know what homasote is to get some of it cut for me. No matter what I said about what homasote is, apparently. I got the insulation board suggestion again, was told I could buy a whole box of tiles, and even after I explained that I would be pinning wet wool to dry on it and it needed to be portable, one guy suggested sheet rock. Soggy, dissolving plaster... very portable! That is when I gave up on Lowe's.
At this point, I was wondering if fabric could be returned or someone would want 3 yards of lavender gingham, but we decided to give Home Depot the old college try. I went in alone, asked the first person that I found, and he (much to my surprise) walked me right to the ceiling tiles, helped me decide that since the thickest they had was 5/8" that I could duct tape two together for each board, called three different people to find out the sku for a single piece (since the box sku was the only thing on the shelf), wrote it down on a piece of paper so that I would have it when I checked out, walked me to the duct tape (will wonders never cease), and helped me decide which size I needed for my purpose! The whole thing didn't come to 11$, and now Home Depot is my favorite new store!!
And by the way, homasote is available in sheets at Lowe's stores. I just checked the website.
Now I am exhausted. It was such a trial to get the stupid stuff that I haven't wanted to come home in the evenings and mess with it to actually assemble my blocking boards. I am happy to report, though, that today is Friday and I will get this puppy all fixed up tonight! Then maybe this weekend, in between cleaning like a maniac, I will get some more squares blocked.... I love this project!
Which brings me to my recent foray into the world of the home improvement warehouse. I found a reference on Ravelry to a home-made blocking board, which interested me due to the 80-90$ prices I have seen on store bought ones. So, I found the instructions on Knitty.com and proceeded to gather the supplies. It called for 2-2' squares of homasote, one inch thick plus cover fabric and the stuff to stick it all together. (According to Wikipedia: Homasote is a type of wallboard made from recycled paper that is compressed under high temperature and pressure and held together with a glue. It is the stuff that ceiling tiles are made of, and they conveniently come in 2x2 squares, pre-cut.) I got the gingham fabric and staple gun at Hancock Fabrics and when that came to 30$ I began to wonder if I wouldn't be better off in the long run to buy a blocking board. But I persevered, and off to Lowe's I trotted.
In Lowe's, I asked the first red-vested person I came across and she gestured vaguely towards the complete other end of the store and said that ceiling tiles were in Building Materials. Duh. So, there I stood all tiny and lost staring at a sea of section signs, none of which actually said Building Materials. Gamely, my mother and I marched in that direction and the length of a football field later, we asked another woman where to find ceiling tiles. She, more specifically, offered that they were on isle 17. We traversed the entire length of isle 17, and alas, no ceiling tiles. We wandered vaguely around in the wall board section for a time, and managed to flag down a passing employee. He said that isle 18 is what we were looking for... Notice that at this point, not a single CUSTOMER SERVICE person in this place has offered to take us to the product we were looking to purchase? So, isle 18 it was and we FINALLY found the ceiling tiles. The bad news was that none of them were 1 inch thick (1/2 or 5/8 only.) and all of them were labeled for sale as whole boxes even though each selection had an open box on top. And there we stood in isle 18, alone and unhelped.
My mom left me standing in front of the ceiling tiles in case anyone came close enough or cared enough to see why I was standing alone staring at the ceiling tiles for so long and went the length of a football field back to customer service to ask someone to come help us. She made it there and back without me seeing anyone who worked there, and someone finally sent a sweaty 13-year-old boy who supposedly worked there to ask what we needed. I explained that I needed the homasote for a blocking board, and it therefore needed to be moisture wicking and hold up to pinning, etc, and he told me that he doesn't know what homasote and could I use plastic coated insulation board? I told him that homasote is the stuff that ceiling tiles are made of, and that is the reason we were standing in front of the ceiling tiles asking about ceiling tiles, and that plastic coated insulation board would be waterproof, not moisture wicking. He said that ceiling tiles were only available by the box and he doesn't think they sell any of that homasote, because he has never heard of it. After more head scratching and sweating, he went to find someone else to ask.
He brought back three other guys (where were they when we were searching the warehouse for help???) and they all said that they don't know what homasote is to get some of it cut for me. No matter what I said about what homasote is, apparently. I got the insulation board suggestion again, was told I could buy a whole box of tiles, and even after I explained that I would be pinning wet wool to dry on it and it needed to be portable, one guy suggested sheet rock. Soggy, dissolving plaster... very portable! That is when I gave up on Lowe's.
At this point, I was wondering if fabric could be returned or someone would want 3 yards of lavender gingham, but we decided to give Home Depot the old college try. I went in alone, asked the first person that I found, and he (much to my surprise) walked me right to the ceiling tiles, helped me decide that since the thickest they had was 5/8" that I could duct tape two together for each board, called three different people to find out the sku for a single piece (since the box sku was the only thing on the shelf), wrote it down on a piece of paper so that I would have it when I checked out, walked me to the duct tape (will wonders never cease), and helped me decide which size I needed for my purpose! The whole thing didn't come to 11$, and now Home Depot is my favorite new store!!
And by the way, homasote is available in sheets at Lowe's stores. I just checked the website.
Now I am exhausted. It was such a trial to get the stupid stuff that I haven't wanted to come home in the evenings and mess with it to actually assemble my blocking boards. I am happy to report, though, that today is Friday and I will get this puppy all fixed up tonight! Then maybe this weekend, in between cleaning like a maniac, I will get some more squares blocked.... I love this project!
Friday, May 30, 2008
I take it back....
This is the world's most beautiful knitted object!! I have finished 7 squares from matching skeins and this is the one that I got out of the scraps from those skeins.... I was really worried that the scraps wouldn't go together in a harmonious way, but I think it worked out well! Notice that the big ball of acidic lime green didn't make it into the square? I didn't have enough colors to go with it... somehow that earthy lavender looked better with the olive.... Anyway! I can't wait to get more yarn. Ian is giving me 6 skeins of it that I found on sale at LittleKnits.com.... They are on the way, but it isn't happening fast enough!! And realistically, that will only take me a week to get through, anyway!!! Someone is going to come across me on the street wearing a sandwich board that says "Will work for yarn...."So, today due to lack of Lizard Ridge stimulation, I have focused on Ian's Weasley Sweater for Christmas... I searched for charted letters. We have finally laid to rest the idea of B for Butthead and I have resigned myself to a plain old I for Ian.... That one will be easy, since I can just use the H chart that comes in the book and whack off the parts that don't comprise an I. I also searched for yarn. I don't think anybody wants this sweater to cost 200$, and the Silkroad Aran that is called for would get close to that. Plus, Ian said that he doesn't like wool. I have convinced him that he should compromise and use a wool blend so that he still gets the same kind of rustic hand-spun look, or it won't really be a Weasley family heirloom! I am thinking either Lion Brand Woolease or Paton's Shetland Chunky Tweed. I lean toward the patons but I don't know if I could get gauge. We shall see... I have both at home and can swatch at will!
Isn't your birthday the perfect day to win the lottery? Like a birthday present from Karma... I will dutifully trip off to get the ticket. Keep your fingers crossed.... Dreaming of all the yarn I could buy! Sigh.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Only knitting can tear me away....
So, while working on the world's most beautiful afghan, my Lizard Ridge Love, I have been having a hard time tearing myself away to blog! I started at the Duran Duran concert, only put it down when I couldn't see anymore to knit. The pattern is easy to master and easy to memorize. I swear, this is the most addictive and most beautiful project I have ever worked on... I want to knit squares at all times!! I haven't even been able to make the time to take pictures of my lovely work! I thought that I would be satisfied with a couple of skeins every month, but I have developed an addiction. I am trying to get Ian to get me a couple more for my birthday this weekend!! Bright colors please, no pastels! ;-) This yarn creates a craving... I love the colors and the thick and thin texture.... I madly love this project. Sigh!
Learned to spit-splice, on a related note. Kind of gross, but very handy when the yarn has a knot... The texture of the afghan is going to be so smooth that I don't want to be seeing knots all over the place!
All other projects on hold, of course. I am carrying the Should-Have-Been-a-Kimono sweater around with me for when I run out of Kureyon, but it is a last resort! (Though I am one and a half squares from being out of luck, I do believe.) I am also pretty excited about starting the sweaters for Brenda's grand-daughters.... I have plenty to keep me busy for a while, I will not be suffering for want of yarn, that is for sure!!!
Just decided yesterday to go to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair in October. Roberta generously allowed me to change my vacation , and mom and Vicky are going to go with! I am very, very excited.... I will sign up for the workshops that I want to take after payday! I am seriously considering Basics of Feltmaking and Fair Isle Knitting 101. I can't wait to see the displays and the vendors, too. Maybe there will be sheep ice-cream!!!
Learned to spit-splice, on a related note. Kind of gross, but very handy when the yarn has a knot... The texture of the afghan is going to be so smooth that I don't want to be seeing knots all over the place!
All other projects on hold, of course. I am carrying the Should-Have-Been-a-Kimono sweater around with me for when I run out of Kureyon, but it is a last resort! (Though I am one and a half squares from being out of luck, I do believe.) I am also pretty excited about starting the sweaters for Brenda's grand-daughters.... I have plenty to keep me busy for a while, I will not be suffering for want of yarn, that is for sure!!!
Just decided yesterday to go to the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair in October. Roberta generously allowed me to change my vacation , and mom and Vicky are going to go with! I am very, very excited.... I will sign up for the workshops that I want to take after payday! I am seriously considering Basics of Feltmaking and Fair Isle Knitting 101. I can't wait to see the displays and the vendors, too. Maybe there will be sheep ice-cream!!!
Monday, May 19, 2008
The worlds most beautiful knitted object!
Is that not the most beautiful thing that you have ever seen?? How can I resist starting that?? This picture is hijacked from someone else's blog, btw, since I have not yet embarked on the journey of knitting the Lizard Ridge afghan.... I have so much else to be working on, but I am strangely hypnotized by the beauty of all those Noro Kureyon colors. And BLIND to the price tag, since you can buy one skein at a time... One skein equals one block, and every block can happily be in another colorway! So, I believe I am going to give into my weakness for beautiful things and buy two skeins on my way to Raleigh on Wednesday to see Duran Duran. (See me pause to let the roar of the appreciative crowd subside....)
Real progress was made on the Vogue sweater over the weekend... Not like LAST weekend, but that may have set some kind of land speed for knitting record! I am three quarters done with the front now, and I may let the sleeves languish while I knit a child's sweater for Brenda. On the other hand, if I just bite the bullet, I would be done in no time.... I have no willpower! Then Roberta's sweater is waiting patiently to be made somewhere in the mix.... Who knows where these chips will fall??
Not an exciting turnout at the meeting this weekend, just me and my mom, but two new people have emailed me and I have a couple of new members of the group on yahoo! It was just too pretty for everyone to stay inside and knit, I guess.
I was going to cancel and go to the beach this weekend, but I just was reminded by the radio that it is bike weekend there this weekend, so I believe that is a nix. I will wait and go my birthday weekend, especially if I can get some Noro on Wednesday!!! Too much knitting, too little time! :-)
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Bad stasher, bad!!
I suck at burning through my stash. The only thing I have done for it, maybe ever, is use the extra Wool of the Andes yarn for my lovely French Market Bag... And I still have 2.5 skeins of that!
So, what do I do about that? Plan Christmas around what I already own? Noooo, not me! I find that Webs has Cascade 220 on sale for 4$ a skein and buy enough of that to keep an army in felted bags!! At least I can say that I ordered every ounce and yard with a specific Christmas present in mind.
Then we come to the difference between writing a journal on paper and producing a blog that other people know about.... I can't organize my Christmas present thoughts here! Ian proved that by commenting on this Harry Potter sweater plans!! ;-) Same goes for Ravelry, two of my beloved Christmas present recipients can view my projects!!
Is worrying about Christmas presents at the beginning of May the final sign that indeed I have moved into middle age? Thirty-seven looms ahead of me, and I have become my grandmother!!
Since Brenda still hasn't pinned her granddaughters down and measured them for their sweaters, I swatched for Roberta's sweater last night. It is a pattern that you just cannot memorize, so I will have to watch the pattern closely, but it worked up well. I got gauge with the recommended size 7 needles, and it is an easy knit.... Once I can start it, it should work up quickly!! But I am being disciplined about this, and today I am going to cast on the front of my should-have-been-a-kimono sweater in progress.... It is going to be great, and apparently I can finish it pretty quickly!! Pictures coming soon....
So, what do I do about that? Plan Christmas around what I already own? Noooo, not me! I find that Webs has Cascade 220 on sale for 4$ a skein and buy enough of that to keep an army in felted bags!! At least I can say that I ordered every ounce and yard with a specific Christmas present in mind.
Then we come to the difference between writing a journal on paper and producing a blog that other people know about.... I can't organize my Christmas present thoughts here! Ian proved that by commenting on this Harry Potter sweater plans!! ;-) Same goes for Ravelry, two of my beloved Christmas present recipients can view my projects!!
Is worrying about Christmas presents at the beginning of May the final sign that indeed I have moved into middle age? Thirty-seven looms ahead of me, and I have become my grandmother!!
Since Brenda still hasn't pinned her granddaughters down and measured them for their sweaters, I swatched for Roberta's sweater last night. It is a pattern that you just cannot memorize, so I will have to watch the pattern closely, but it worked up well. I got gauge with the recommended size 7 needles, and it is an easy knit.... Once I can start it, it should work up quickly!! But I am being disciplined about this, and today I am going to cast on the front of my should-have-been-a-kimono sweater in progress.... It is going to be great, and apparently I can finish it pretty quickly!! Pictures coming soon....
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