knot another hat

New Blog Site!

2006-07-26T17:22:00.000-07:00

HI!

Please go here to find the new home of the Knot Another Hat blog!

Thank you everyone!

(it's at http://knotanotherhat.typepad.com)

Still nothing

2006-07-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

I still can't get my pictures uploaded. Today was my expiration date to cancel my free trial with TypePad, but I think I'm going to take the plunge and make the switch. Maybe now I can get my posts up more regularly. I am very, very frustrated. Sorry everyone - a new link will follow shortly!

Freaking Blogger!

2006-07-22T09:09:00.000-07:00

I had a post all ready to show off the finished Sizzle and my next project, as well as my latest gift from my great Secret Pal, but of course Blogger won't let me put up pictures. I'm headed out of town and will hopefully get them up Sunday night. Sorry!

And the race is on! Sizzle sauciness. . .

2006-07-15T16:03:00.000-07:00

No time to blog, and this is why:

I'm bound and determined to knit Sizzle in time for a wedding I am going to attend next Saturday. Yup, you read it right. Six days to Sizzling Sauciness. Can I do it? We'll see. I'm using Noro Lily (cotton/silk blend), and I swatched on the recommended US7s but needed to go up to an 8. (No comments from the peanut gallery about the miniscule size of my swatch - I'm in a hurry damnit!) And this is my progress to date on the Garter Cami, as well as a terrible shot of the package I just mailed out to my One Skein pal. Since you really can't see it, I'll tell you what's in it: Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Lupine, 2 Prym (Inox) 16 circulars in size US1, and my original pattern for knitting socks on two circulars. She hasn't ever finished a pair of socks, so I thought this might give her some inspiration. I also put in a really cute handmade book that my sister made.

Time to sizzle!

All around craftiness

2006-07-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

The minnowknits Cotton Roll sweater is finished! I found cute little baseball hat buttons for the top left shoulder. Specs: 6 month size, one skein each of Cotton Stria in tangerine, sky, and red, and size US7 needles (the pattern calls for US8, the designer Jil Eaton knits the samples on US5s, so I went for the middle ground). Easy and quick to knit, cute and light. I went to the fabric store yesterday to browse for inspiration for the Sock Kit swap, and came home with these pairings:
The store colors, pink and brown:

And these are a heavier home decor fabric, and what I will use to make a spectacular bag for my Sock Kit pal. I just don't know what exactly, yet....I'm thinking a bigger tote style with straps, and then a smaller, zippered accessory pouch. The exterior will be the green and the inside will be lined with the white. I just need to design it now.
I wanted to whip up a summer top for the store, so I decided on the Ann Norling Garter Stitch Camisole, in Lana Grossa Colorato. Knit, knit, knit and then knit some more. There's a nice yarnover pattern on the bottom and the top, but other than that it's a lot of garter. But very simple and a great ice-breaker for people to get into garments.

Cotton Roll and Toddler Sock update

2006-07-08T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Minnowknits Cotton Roll sweater in Manos Cotton Stria is roaring along. The second sleeve is started and hopefully I can block the whole thing tonight. It's hot out today, so perfect for quick drying!
And here are the finished toddler socks in the Meilenweit Cotton Fun & Stripes. So quick, really, it's silly. I've got this yarn on re-order in many colors, so check the site later next week.

And last night was our anniversary/birthday shindig here at the store, and it was a blast. The champagne was flowing, the mini cupcakes had icing, and the brownies were Blissful. A good time was had by all, I do believe. My camera battery was (of course) dead, so hopefully my mom will send me the few pics she snapped of the festivities.

Thank you everyone for a wonderful first year!

(PS - And don't forget the birthday discount on the website - good through Sunday only! Just enter HPYBDY at checkout for 15% off your entire order!)

My Mojo's Back, Baby!

2006-07-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

Boy, when it's on, it's on!

First, I did that sock in about 28 hours. Then, yesterday I decided we needed another Minnowknits store model because this one keeps selling out. So I picked the Cotton Roll Sweater and cast on yesterday around noon (in Manos Cotton Stria). Now granted, this is a teeny sweater for a mini-person, but the front and back are done and I'm starting the sleeves.

Then, when I went home for the evening I grabbed the little leftover ball of Fun & Stripes that I had to complete a set of toddler socks for my neice. These sock were supposed to be for Campbell, but after I finished the first one a month and a half ago, it didn't fit her. So they'll be for my niece Naomi. So I cast that on at about 6:30 and got half-way through the foot before I called it a night.

This is all so amazing to me, because this is how I normally knit. It's just that the last three or four weeks have been somewhat of a dry spell for me, with very little knitting and even less motivation for knitting. I don't know why or how my mojo came back, but it's back baby!

A sock a day...

2006-07-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

...keeps the doctor away, right?

I started this about 1:00 on the 4th, and finished it (ok, all but the grafting of the toe, which I did this morning) last night during Frasier reruns on UPN. It's Lana Grossa Meilenweit Fantasy, color #4833, and is now up on the website. Right now it's the only color of Fantasy we have, but I really liked it so I will be ordering 3 more colors in the near future. Oh, addi Turbos size US1 (2.5mm) (which are actually like a 1 1/2 compared to most other brands).

BUSTED!!!!

2006-07-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

Guess who blew her cover??????

Yours truly.

I signed my name on an email to my SP. HOW COULD I DO THAT?!?! I thought I was being so careful. And I knew that she was really close to figuring out who I am, simply b/c she is coming out to Oregon to visit in August, and she was looking up area yarn stores to shop at, AND I FREAKING OWN ONE. Who knew?!? The coordinators could never have known that they would match up two people on separate sides of the country who would be likely to meet in person! But that's the best part - we are going to meet in person when she comes out this summer, and we're going to do a little sight-seeing and fiber shopping. :)

So without further ado - my SP: Meg, from Knit and Sip, and the land of (pie) cherries, Traverse City, Michigan. Go check out her blog - she's a great knitter from all accounts! And getting to know her has been like having a great pen pal - but one that I actually get to meet! How cool is that? And how many SP's can say that they've met their pals??

Here is the frogged Glam-turned-shawl. I really love the Chris Bylsma pattern, and it shows off this ribbony yarn really well. Yay! It was a quick knit on size 11 circulars, and I went through 5 balls (with 87 yards each). I chose to do the optional knitted-in self-fringe, which turned out nice. I also just tied my yarn joins and left the ends hanging willy-nilly all over. This will be great for fall.

Craftiness around the house and finished Cuppencakken

2006-07-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

After long being disgusted at the state of our dining room chairs and bar stools, it suddenly dawned on us that we could just re-cover them. Duh. So I found some wonderful upholstry fabric and this morning I did just that. Talk about easy!

And here are the finished dining room chairs...

And the finished bar stools...
This is a hideous sweater that I did last summer. It is from The Cherries in the Spring 03 issue of Knitty, and it completely did not work for me. It could not have been less flattering. Oh - and I used Crystal Palace Glam, which I still really like. So, I frogged it. I'm re-knitting the yarn in Chris Bylsma's Ladder Shawl pattern, on size 11s.
And, as promised, the finished cupcake ottoman. Cuppencakken, baby!
And here is the knitter, owner of So Much Fun, Ms. Sabrina. See how proud she is of her cupcake? She's already ordered another ottoman to make a complete set. (By the way, just to piss everyone off, Sabrina only learned to knit around the beginning of May, at the same time as opening up her own business. So there!)

Cleaning house!

2006-06-30T17:29:00.000-07:00

And boy does it feel good!

(BYW: this post was supposed to go up yesterday, but effing Blogger wouldn't let me upload pics for the last 24 hours. I was thinking about switching to TypePad, but then realized that you can't customize your design for the lower $5 monthly fee - only for $8/mon. Bogus)

First: this is not cleaning house, but I knit up the cabled hat pattern that my One Skein Secret Pal sent me with this beautiful Great Adirondack wool/silk yarn:

It was quick and easy and turned out beautifully! Thank you thank you thank you!

Quickie note: I never posted a finished, nicer picture of the Lotus Leaf Lace Tank from Interweave's summer Knits, so here it is.

On to the cleaning: I got motivated to clean up this pile of junk yesterday,

so I organized, and dug through some really old WIPs. First to go?

The Pacific Northwest Shawl. Frogged it. I just didn't like how the yarn was showing (or not) the pattern. I think that llama yarn is beautiful, it just is too dark for this garter lace pattern. I have some nice Lorna's that I will use when (and if) I start this pattern again. I'll try the llama on some other lace pattern this winter.

More cleaning:

These two purses were kits from Pussy Cat 2, and were knit by my mother-in-law last summer. She gave them to me to sew together and assemble, and I just now finally got around to it. They are really cute designs, but I can tell you that the finishing is not for the faint of heart. A good day and a half went into putting these two things together. All of the materials are included in the kits (thankfully!), but it requires some hand-sewing to get it all done. Great results, though!

Let's see - what else can I report? Sabrina, next door at the clothing store So Much Fun, got a crazy hair to knit a giant, ottoman-sized cupcake. Here is the cupcake in progress:

She used Cascade Magnum in Cotton Candy for the base (on size 17 circulars), and plans to mix cream Magnum and cream Gedifra Sheela for the top (on size 19s). I'll post finished pics of the whole cupcake ottoman tomorrow.

Last but not least, CK wanted me to take a pic of her beautiful chalk picture. She is so proud. :)

Sock Kit Swap Questionnaire

2006-06-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Sock Kit Pal! I'm sorry I've been so delinquent in getting this done. No more procrastinating:

The Questionnaire:
What are your favorite colors?
I'm into greens right now, although I can get excited about almost any color.

Are you a new sock knitter? How long have you been knitting socks?
Yes, but I jumped in with both feet. I was a sock-knitting-hold-out, thinking that they weren't worth my time, until my sock teacher quit. I needed to teach myself to do socks on 2 circulars so I could teach the sock class at the store, so I grabbed Cat Bordhi's book and some traditional sock patterns and set to it. That was January, and I've since knit about 12 1/2 pairs of socks, some patterned, some plain.

Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn?
Either.

What fibers do you prefer in sock yarn?
Wool blends, cotton blends, whatever.

Where do you usually knit socks?
Here at the store, in the car, at home watching TV, in the airport, where don't I knit socks?

How do you usually carry/store small projects?
In my purse/bag.

What are your favorite sock knitting patterns?
I don't think I have any favorites. I loved the Embossed Leaves socks from Interweave Knits, and I love everything in the Sensational Knitted Socks book.

What are your favorite sock knitting techniques?
I am definitely a cuff-down, heel-flap girl. I've tried toe-up, and I've done the hourglass (or shortrow) heel, but I always go back to my standby.

What new techniques would you like to try?
Um, I think I would like to try 2 socks at once just to say I've done it, but probably not as a permament change.

Do you prefer circulars or dpns for sock knitting?
Absolutely circulars.

What are some of your favorite yarns?
For socks? Opal, Mountain Colors, Koigu, Socks That Rock, Steinbache Wolle, Lorna's Laces.

What yarn do you totally covet?
Anything that I don't carry in the store, because that means it's just for me (and not a future store model).

Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object?
I'd love to knit my way through both the Knitting Vintage Socks and Sensational Knitted Socks books.

Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)?
Addi Turbos.

Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack?
Ooh. Let's see. Chocolate is always a favorite, but not so practical in warm weather. Gummy bears are yummy. Love Gardettos, too.

Do you have pets? What are their species/names/ages?
I have one cat, Persian, Elsie, 8 years old.

What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature?
A cherry orchard in early September.

Tell me the best quote you’ve ever heard or read.
De hombres es equivocarse; de locos persistir en el error. -Marco Tulio Cicerón. (It is human to err; it is fools who persist in the error.)

Do you have a wishlist?
Yes, link on the right.

Hip, hip, hooray!

2006-06-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

The website is live! And it's beautiful! But don't take my word for it - go see for yourself!

In other news, it's newsletter time. Here is the first installment of the letter from me, which will be a feature in all newsletters from now on:

Letter from Sarah

When I sat down to prepare this month’s newsletter, I felt that something was missing from the current format. I brainstormed all of the different announcements, sound bites, etc that I wanted to include, but it didn’t feel like enough. Finally it dawned on me: I wanted to communicate more with you all, my customers, and to share more with everyone about our shared craft, or art as I prefer to think of it. And so begins the first Letter from Sarah.

Why do I say that what we do is art, rather than craft? Let’s think about art for a minute: art brings us inspiration; art provides peace and relaxation; art stimulates; art highlights creativity; art is therapy; art leaves legacies behind for those who will come after us. Doesn’t knitting also do all of those things? We each knit to satisfy something inside of us, the same something that compels a painter to paint, or a sculptor to sculpt. In the case of Sabrina, the owner of So Much Fun next door to the store, it is what compels her to knit a giant-sized cupcake ottoman. Stop by and see her progress and marvel at her version of knitting art. Take a moment to think about your art, what it means to you, and the role it plays in your life.

On that note, I would like to encourage everyone to take the next step in their knitting. For some that means trying circular needles for the first time; for others it might mean adapting a sweater pattern to better fit their individual body. Whatever your next step is, think about the rewards you’ll reap by taking that leap and broadening your knitting range. As the knitting “boom” plateaus, or even subsides somewhat, we all are challenged to find ways to maintain the excitement of our knitting. I personally believe nothing can do that better than finding a way to learn more, try something new, take on a challenge, step on up to the plate. For me, I plan to knit more sweaters, and knit them to fit. That means paying more attention to finished dimensions, and planning accordingly. Come on in and have a chat—I’d love to talk to you about the next step in your knitting.

Happy knotting,
Sarah

Bing me, baby!

2006-06-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

It's Cherry Season!

Doesn't this guy look like he knows what he's doing?? This is V's hubby, on his first day as All Around Driver Man for my parents' cherry operation. And here he is, only a couple of hours in and getting a crash course in driving an older-than-time forklift, whose brakes have stuck, and learning with a bad clutch on an inclince. NO PROBLEM!

This is Lori, knitter extraordinaire, who just finished a beautiful maternity tank top for her daughter-in-law. She took the Ann Norling garter-stitch cami pattern and customized it into a maternity top that will fit perfectly (out of Katia Idea Jeans)! Congratulations Lori!

And what are these beauties, you ask?? Why, they are none other than my amazing gifts from my amazing One Skein Secret Pal. This yarn is Great Adirondacks Wool Homespun, 85 wool and 15 silk, in a beautiful pastelly colorway. The package also had a great candle from Bali, a cabled hat pattern for the yarn, and a really nice card. We have a lot in common (it seems) in that we both seem to have had really frustrating grad student experiences. But we made it, didn't we! Thanks Secret Pal!

And last, but never least: like Father, like Daughter. Here's a candid shot of daddy and campbell, enjoying a little r & r on Father's Day. Both relaxed, both with mouths open. :)

Quick bit o' progress, and more thanks to Supa Dupa!

2006-06-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

First: Props where they are due - - -

My Supa Dupa Secret Pal has been at it again, this time sending me State of Grace perfume from Philosophy, and a lovely card (pictured here nestled in my newly planted containers on the store balconey). THANK YOU!!!!

And this is my progress on the Leaf Sweater. Not much. About 3 1/2 repeats on the Leaf pattern, on the back. I have 2 repeats left until I get to shape the arm holes. As I mentioned earlier, not much knitting going on right now in favor of (who am I kidding? I don't favor it at all, but whatever) website work and newsletter work.

Other tidbits - new shipment of books to go on the shelves (not all new, some reorders, but still fun):

And a HUGE stack of vintage (60s, 70s and 80s) needlework magazines, gifted to me from a customer/store knitter. I'm going through them slowly, culling out the save-worthy from the garage-salers. HIGHLY entertaining, especially the 80s.

Work work work!

2006-06-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

I'm so sorry for the long delay between posts. I have been in overdrive to get the last of the website ready for our big Grand Changing of Everything, which will hopefully be the weekend of the 24th and 25th (one week!!). And it is going to look FANTASTIC! I am very, very excited about all of the hard work that has been done my by designer Helen Hendricks of Pinduli, and programmer Chris Tsongas of Tsongas.net. They are amazing! But - this has made for very little knitting time, and even less blogging time, so my apologies.

It's also newsletter time here at the store, and I have been working with my class teachers to get the next schedule all figured out. Stay tuned! One highlight? Dye workshop and wine night, on July 24th, where you can dye your own yarn, drink wine, and enjoy appetizers.

More posting later today, with pictures of Leaf Sweater progress...

Finished Lotus and changing gears

2006-06-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

The Lotus is Completus. Now let's talk about it.

Specs: Lotus Blossom Tank from cover of Summer Interweave Knits 06
Size: 39"
Yarn: 3 skeins Southwest Trading Co. Bamboo (100% bamboo, 250 yds)
Needles: Size US5 circular

When I first finished it, I was shocked to discover that it was TOO BIG. A lot TOO BIG. How could this be? I said to self. Self said, Well, what size did you make? I said, Well, certainly not the smallest size because that was only a 33" bust. Self said, So what bust size did you make? Hmm, I said, I'm not sure. Let me consult the pattern.

At which point I screamed with horror (well, not really), because as I read the finished measurements, I saw that the next size up from 33" was 39". Yup, a six-freaking-inch jump. And I did not pay an ounce of attention to this fact when I got started. Not one lick of thought went to the fact that there was SIX inches between the two sizes, and that my actual desired size lay smack in the middle of them. I could have accomodated this somehow, had I thought it through, but no.

Lesson? You are never too far along in your knitting to be a complete DUMBASS.

So - we move on to salvage efforts. Because, you see, I am not a frogger. At least not a frogger of completely-finished-and-otherwise-perfectly-beautiful things. Especially not when they are meant to mostly hang in the store, with the occasional wearing by yours truly. So what was a girl with a 36" bust to do? Well, for one, the front neckline gaped open horrendously:

So I decided I would pick up some stitches across the front straight edge and do a couple more rows of garter and bindoff, and then sew it to the right and left neck edges. I picked up 8 fewer stitches than were originally on the front neck edge, to stabilize:

(By the way: the above picture is accurate in color representation - the others got a little over-exposed by the flash...)

And viola! It worked perfectly - no more huge, see-my-rack neckline. And I tried it on over my shirt and it didn't look too bad (aside from the fact that I had on a blue sleeveless blouse), giving me the brilliant idea of trying it on when I get home tonight over a nice, crisp, white button-up shirt. Cross your fingers for me that this is the final trick I need to make this here Lotus Tank a Perfect Lotus Tank.

OK - I am so sick and tired of dealing with Blogger's inability to get my photos uploaded that I am going to try out blogging them from Flickr for a while (hence the new border).

So - now that I am liberated of one major project, I am, of course, ready for another. You may remember the Leaf Sweater (from an advertising section in the spring Vogue) out of Lana Grossa New Seta that I swatched a long, long time ago. Well, I am starting that sweater, but changing from the purple to the green. I've cast on for the back and am loving it so far.

And last but not least, here is Jason's camo sock in garter rib pattern.

6.10.06 004
Originally uploaded by S-Nitter.

Pictures, as promised

2006-06-07T10:05:00.000-07:00

Finally, some pictures! A wee bit tardy, but here is my finished Moebius bag from my workshop with Cat Bordhi. The design was a custom design following Cat's formula, including a built-in, no-sew pocket (no sewing on the whole bag, as a matter of fact). I did it with a single strand of Cascade Pastaza on a 47" size 11 addi circular. I'm very pleased with it, except that I would have liked to have felted it a bit more. I had to pull it, though, b/c the bag part was getting too small. So next time (if using Pastaza) I will make the bag opening bigger.

Next! Finished Koigu socks. I really loved working with this yarn (I was a Koigu virgin). I liked the toe up styling with one BIG exception: binding off. I hate how wavy the edges look when they're not being worn. I know - who sees them when they're just in your drawer, but it still bugs me. I will probably be going back to my tried-and-true cuff-down heel-flap socks. But - I love this colorway and can't wait for a chance to wear these (probably not til the next rainy day, or fall, whichever comes first).
Last (of the knitting), but not least by far, the Lotus Tank blocking. I sewed down the straps to the front last night and have picked up and finished one armhole. I tried it on and it is TOO BIG. I will discuss this further when I have finished pics, maybe tomorrow or Friday. Too big, but oh so pretty . . . :( I have some ideas for re-shaping it to make it fit better (don't laugh!).
On to the really fun stuff (skip this if you are only here for the knitting). Monday was CKs 3rd birthday, and we took her to the Oregon Zoo. She had a blast (as did we, b/c watching her is more fun than watching the animals!). The weather was beautiful, and we had a full day. Below is CK with my mom riding the zoo train.

Another shot of CK on the train:

And finally, CK in all her dress-up glory. Queen of the World, if you ask her. This haughty pose was purely instinctive and not requested by the photographer, if that tells you anything. This wonderful getup was a birthday present from her Aunt Tracy, and included velvet cape, tiara, glasses, beads, and high heels. Or as Jason put it, the Complete Elton John Dressup Kit.

Doh!

2006-06-06T09:31:00.000-07:00

I left the USB cord for the camera at home!! I'm so mad - I was all set to show off pics of:

Lotus Tank Blocking
Koigu Socks Finished
One CK Sock Finished
Camo Socks Started
And CK's Wonderful Birthday at the Zoo.

I know you are are terribly sad to miss these picks. We don't get internet at home until tomorrow so y'all'll just have to wait! Bummer!

Comment away!

2006-06-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

I have (temporarily maybe) turned on anonymous comments so my secret pals can comment (if they so desire).

Sorry no pics - I've lent out my camera for the weekend.

The lotus tank is done and needs to be lightly blocked and then sewn up.

Koigu socks are getting closer.

'Bout to start some Lorna's Camo socks for hubby. I'm think some simple-ish pattern from Sensational Socks. . .

Move has gone well, but we have a lot of CRAP with no place to put it. Hmph. And that's after sorting out great big boxes and boxes of donate and garage sale stuff. How'd we get all this stuff????????

I have totally forgotten to post a pic of the finished mobius bag, and will do that when camera gets back.

Go here and donate to the fight against MS. There are AMAZING prizes to be had for people who donate over $10. I threw a skein of Fawn alpaca from Miner Creek Farms (available soon on the spankin' new website) in the prize mix. Yummy.

Speaking of the website, I am meeting with the programmer on Tuesday and it will hopefully be going live very soon. Enough already!

Lastly, in an effort to pretend it hasn't been raining for the last two weeks solid, here are 10 things that mean summer to me:

1) the chtch chtch chtch chtch of the sprinklers in the orchards
2) sitting out on a freshly mowed lawn
3) rising early and being able to sit outside in the sun with a cup of coffee
4) sitting outside with a drink on warm nights
5) cherries, cherries, cherries
6) influx of new and diverse people
7) bbqs and margaritas
8) camping
9) campfires
10) 100 degree days when the air is so still you can swim through it - love it.

What means summer to you?

Picture Day!

2006-05-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

Today was picture day at Campbell's school, which she refused to partake in. Luckily, I snapped this great shot of her before she left, just in case we don't get any from school.

So this is the reason I have had very little knitting to showcase:

We move tomorrow. I can. not. wait. I am ready to have this whole thing over. Plus, I'm really looking forward to getting into our new place, and tired of living in disarray for the last month while we packed up all our crap. Again. To another non-permanant place. Oh well. Waddayagonna do in this over-inflated little town? Here is the sad part of leaving:
This is the view from our bed, and therefore the one we wake up to every morning. Not bad, eh? (That's Mt. Adams and the Columbia River, btw.) And I can't really say we get to wake up to that all winter long, when it's too cloudy to see the mountain. But we can always see the river, which is beautiful no matter what.

So, on to knitting. Here are Nancy and Debbie at last night's sock class:
And here is Judy and Yvonne (who teaches classes here at KAH):
And last but not least, my knitting. I have actually made a lot of progress on the Lotus Tank in the last few days (in my denial of having actual store work), and am very close to finishing up. I'm excited about this one - the pattern has been perfectly lovely, and I've tried on the WIP and I think (knock on wood) that it will fit just fine. And I got the most slammin' red heels the other day, which I will hopefully showcase with the finished Tank very soon.
So that's all for now. The 2nd Koigu sock is getting close as well, so it must be time to start some more socks! And I do plan on getting started on that Leaf Sweater in the Seta - don't give up on that! But - after the move.

Thanks Supa Dupa Secret Pal!

2006-05-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I got the cutest little handmade book in the mail! And this quote is inside the front cover:

That is happiness; to be dissolved into something great. - Willa Cather

So perfect - thank you Supa Dupa Secret Pal!

On the knitting front: not much to report. My evenings are consumed with packing, and my days in the store are consumed with product uploads to the new website (hopefully to go live in the next few weeks!). So very little knitting is going on. I am almost done with the last lace repeat on the Bamboo Tank, thankfully. Then it will be plain knitting in a race to the finish line.

That's all for now - I promise pictures next time!

Éireann go Brách!

2006-05-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

Your Inner European is Irish!

Sprited and boisterous!
You drink everyone under the table.

Who's Your Inner European?

I've always known this. I knew this long before I found out that my ancestors hail from County Cork. It's just that before I found out, I thought I was a wannabe. Now I know it's in my genes.

Thank you thank you thank you!

2006-05-19T15:12:00.000-07:00

Hey Supa Dupa Secret Pal!!!

Thank you so much for this!

And how timely it is - I'll need some pampering after dealing all day with this:

Ask me how many times I bound off, took it out, and bound off again. Go ahead, ask.

Five. Being that these were toe-up socks, a loose bindoff is key to, oh, say, getting the sock over my foot.

1) bound-off: too tight. 2) tried to be "consciously" looser: too tight. 3) went up 2 needle sizes and bound off: too tight. 4) did Cat Bordhi's suggestion for a looser bind off by picking up a stitch between each stitch and binding it off: lettuce-leaf-edge too loose.

Then I screamed a bit, cried, ate a cookie, contemplated living with the lettuce edge, decided it would bug the crap out of me, and took it out again.

5) combined regular bind-off with picking up an extra "tweener" stitch every 3 stitches: and viola.

I can live with it. Now on to #2.

And THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to my supa dupa secret pal for making my day! :)

Blog blog blog

2006-05-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

So here it is, Secret Pal time, and I am falling lax in my blogging duties.

I'm sorry.

I have minimal excuses. Bookwork at the store. An impending household move (and therefore the requisite packing). Let's see....what else...oh. Nothing else, I guess.

Here are my Mother's Day socks, all packaged and ready. I made cute little labels after being inspired by Alison's Sockapalooza labels.

And I have been knitting (a bit). The progress on the Bamboo tank is minimal and therefore will not be shown. I do have a great pair of toe-up (my first time) Koigu socks to show,

and to show off someone else's knitting, here is a beautiful pair of Activ Effekt socks that Yvonne knit up for the store:

Thanks Yvonne!

So I think I have a few ideas for my two secret pals (one skein and sp8). And I'm toying with the idea of the crocheted bathmat as a one skein (or cone, as it may be) gift. Though let the record reflect my weak crochet skills and lack of love for Peaches & Cream cotton. But I'll still think about it. . . (maybe it's more that I would like to receive one of those bathmats?? hmm)

Here's a shot from the store balcony - it's been crazy windy here so the kites are out in force on the river. I know they're hard to see - sorry. It's a nice distraction when things slow down around here. :)

A taste of sunshine

2006-05-12T07:55:00.000-07:00

First: To everyone who expressed their concern and well-wishes about my father-in-law, I sincerely thank you. It was nice to hear from strangers and friends that there were people thinking good thoughts for us. He is seeming to slowly make progress, though there will be much more time in ICU and atleast 6 months recovery, presuming all continues to go well. Thank you, everyone.

It's going to be another beautiful (if windy) day here, and by Monday it will be close to 90. But we all know it's just a teaser, because it always gets cold again at the end of May/beginning of June. Just in time to rain and ruin the cherry crop. But here are pics from the store balcony this morning, to relish for the moment, anyway.

A new project: I have started the Lotus Lace tank that is on the cover of the current Knits. It is knit in SWTC Bamboo, which I carry, so voila! A new store model. One that will fit me, I might add. Hopefully.

I have been contacted by my Secret Pals for both SP8 and One Skein, and am having so much fun! I'm so glad I finally caved and joined the "swap" subworld. :)

Other small tidbits: New sock yarn from The Fiber Denn, procured from the wonderful Etsy (left); and...

I am changing colors on the Seta sweater, from purple to green (more to my taste, in actuality) (right).

That's all for now.

Retreat, mobius, Cat, socks, toilets and more...

2006-05-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

I'm back!

This past weekend I went to the TNNA Retailer's Retreat in Denver and it was great! I met 35 or so other retailers from around the country and spent two days in class with none other than Cat Bordhi. Let me tell you - that woman is amazing. And a genius. She taught us the magic of the mobius, and I am in awe that her brain came up with a way to knit this mysterious mathematical abstraction. If you have not discovered the beauty of the mobius, I highly encourage you to grab up one of her books now. A mobius, if you didn't know, is a shape with only one surface and one edge. Chew on that for a while!

Cat patiently demonstrating mobius concepts to a bunch of people who by their nature are giving her a hard time. Below are my new friends Brigitte from Wooly Lamb in Chicago and Doni from Sip & Knit in Maitland, FL.

Knitting my mobius bag, pocket in progress, to be felted (in Cascade Pastaza).

And just in case you were curious (and come on, you know you were), here is the toilet in my hotel room.
Now look at that picture again and tell me where you are supposed to flush that thing?????

Oh, duh, by the sink, stupid. Everyone knows that.

And last but not least, here are the three pairs of socks that I finished on the trip.

I am hesitatingly putting these up, even though they are gifts for Mother's Day, and Mother's Day is not quite here. But I feel pretty confident that the intended recipients don't look at my blog, so...here they are. The purple pair are the Fritzy's socks I blogged about before; the pastel green/blue pair are my own slip-stitch design, and the bright striped pair are Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton Fun & Stripes. That brings me to 10 pairs of socks since I started knitting socks in January. Hmph!

No news is ___ news

2006-05-03T10:06:00.001-07:00

I don't know how to fill in the blank above. I don't exactly have good news, but nor is it bad. I apologize for not posting for so long after such a heavy message. I thought if I waited long enough I would be able to post that all was well and Keith was on his way to a full recovery. But his condition is very, very serious still, and we are still hanging on to some kind of crazy roller coaster that none of us wanted to ride.

But I did finish the socks Melponeme suggested I make for him, and they are modeled here (oops - pic coming soon) by his son, my husband. I did them out of Austermann Step, because I thought the Aloe and Jojoba in the yarn would help the healing along. It will be quite a while before he will be able to wear them, but we have told him they are finished and waiting for him, and we think he understands even if he can't respond right now.

And since I did a lot of anxious sitting over the last 10 days, I also finished 2 more Mother's Day socks (out of a total six needed), bringing me to the halfway point (and also marking 4 1/2 socks in 7 days - a personal record). I never actually posted about this, but I planned to make 3 pairs of socks for Mother's Day gifts. I'd show you pics, but I don't know if there are any lurkers out there who are the intended recipients, so I can't risk it.

In other news, if all is stable with Keith I will be heading to the TNNA Retailer's Retreat in Denver this weekend. I have been very excited about this trip, but with the current situation I'm not so jazzed. I know it will be a great event, but I will be distracted and worried that whenever the phone rings it will be bad news.

SP8 Questionnaire Extraordinaire

2006-05-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

Oh boy. I love all flavors of sock yarn. I don't use a ton of novelty stuff, but that doesn't mean I don't necessarily like it. About the only thing I never use is good 'ole acrylic.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

I have a couple Ashland Sky clear needle storage bags that work really well.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I have only been knitting for about 3 years, but I've covered a lot of ground in that time. I have a yarn store now, and I would consider myself to be an advanced knitter.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

No, but I should! Does etsy do wishlists? I'll have to check that out.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

Lavender, straight up.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

Oh my. 10 lbs since Christmas? I'd say I have a sweet tooth. Chocolate always does the trick.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

I used to be a serious scrapbooker, but since I started knitting I haven't done jack in that department. I pretty much knit knit knit. And I don't spin, yet.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I love just about all kinds of music. I have extremely ecclectic tastes, and especially love indie stuff. I love listening to KXCI online, which is an independent radio station out of Tucson. Oh, and yes to MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?

I've always had a very stand-offish relationship with color. I don't think I have a favorite, and choosing colors is always more of an instinctive thing than a deliberate thing for me. But, I have been in a green place for quite a while now...

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

I am married and have an almost-3-yr-old daughter. We have one long-haired cat,
Elsie.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

Sorry to be a cliche, but I HATE ponchos. Can't stand 'em. I do wear scarves, and only wear hats when I'm out in the snow or really inclement weather.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

Sweaters and socks.

13. What are you knitting right now?

Socks and sweaters. And one lace shawl.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Love 'em.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

addi Turbos, baby.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?

Both.

17. How did you learn to knit?

My mother-in-law forced me to learn when I was pregnant and on bedrest and had nowhere to run and hide. :) I say that very tongue-in-cheek, because she obviously saw some kind of potential in me that I never would have known was there. And now? It's my life and career, and I couldn't love her more for it.

18. How old is your oldest UFO?

A baby blanket out of cheap yarn started almost exactly one year ago.

19. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas, hands down. And then maybe Halloween, for the great decor and
parties.

20. Is there anything that you collect?

No, I'm really trying to simplify my life right now. (Oh, you mean besides yarn? I do collect yarn. But that's how I ended up with a yarn store. So.)

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

I get Vogue and Knits here in the store. I always, always love knitting books. I don't have the One Skein book yet, and it looks fun. Also, The Sweater Workshop is on my list, Folk Socks, ummm, maybe I do need an Amazon wishlist.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I haven't tried steeking yet...but I'm not sure if I'm emotionally ready for it. Oh - instarsia. Haven't mastered that yet.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

You know, I wasn't until about 4 months ago: what the hell was wrong with me? I love knitting socks. My foot is 9" long, and 8" around.

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)

09/12.

Melponeme came to my house

2006-04-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

She entered casually, as though we had been expecting her but we just didn't know it. The wake of her walk, however, swirled up everything around her. I watched her as others reacted, and she remained calm, her head slowly turning to supervise. We made eye contact, and while I stared, just like that, her eyes told me why I was knitting Lady Eleanor.

I thought, mistakenly, that I started Eleanor to master entrelac. I thought wrong. On Saturday night, I found out that I had Eleanor in my possession to work on for hours on end in the hospital, where my father-in-law's organs, breath, life, hang in the balance.

All day yesterday I worked on Eleanor, one little angled square at a time. I got bored of her, but I couldn't put her down to work on a different project. I just felt as though I had to keep prodding along on the tiers, and to put it down would somehow imply that I was giving up on her, even if it was just for a break. Something about the continuity of the squares, nestling into each other, one after the other, slowly, back and forth, tier after tier, skein after skein.

Brenda talked about Melponeme this week; I just didn't realize the lesson was for me. Melponeme is still with me, quietly sitting next to me in waiting rooms, in the car to Portland, everywhere. It feels a little better having her with me, knowing that she will watch over my knitting while we watch over Keith.

Today will be more vigilance, and more Eleanor. But she might be finished today, and in that event I know what Melponeme wants me to work on next: the perfect pair of socks for my father-in-law, to wear for comfort, imbued with Melponeme's strength to carry us all through tragedy.

Waddaya know...a button.

2006-04-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

Another reason to love sheep

2006-04-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

Meet Dolores.

What is the matter with me?

2006-04-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

OK. So yesterday I swatched for the Seta sweater and was all set to get started. What did I do? I started Lady Eleanor, the entrelac shawl from Scarf Style. I know she's been done to death, but I've always had my eye on her, and well, I've never done entrelac. And a customer came in who needed help with an entrelac tam, and I couldn't do jack. I couldn't even tell where she was in the pattern, which made me feel so alien, so unlike myself, I just wasn't sure what to do. So I grabbed the book, some Noro Silk Garden in color 217, and next thing you know: here comes Eleanor.

I'm about 1 and 1/2 skeins in (out of probably 10 or so), and so far loving it. I finally understand entrelac (not that there's too much to understand), and I've even taught myself to knit backwards so I don't have to deal with all that turning. Whew! Good stuff! Now what's my last big knitting frontier, you ask? Steeking. So not ready for that. Yet.

New project, baby!

More about Knitting Rules!...

2006-04-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

There is so much I can relate to in this book. Every detail of the obsession applies (with the exception of stash management - that's how you end up with a yarn store, folks). I just find myself nodding and saying, um hmm, that's right, you said it sister! Then I look around to see who may have seen my latest moment of crazy in the hair salon as I sit under a setter with my head covered in foil. Maybe they'll just attribute it to the chemicals seeping into my brain. (They're probably saying - my god! she finally stopped knitting but now she's talking to herself!)

At any rate, it's a relief, somewhat, to read that there are others like me, who eat, sleep, and breath knitting. I've always known in my rational mind that there are, but seeing it all on paper, by someone like Stephanie, well, that make me feel a little better. And because it's such a new thing for me (I would say I only entered this level of knitting obsession when I began to prepare to open the store, about 13 months ago), I was still unsure if this level of knitting freakiness was OK.

It may not be understood by the non-knitting world, but I can handle that.

I was a good girl this morning and did a swatch in pattern for the Seta sweater. Looks like the yarn substitution will work just fine. Time to get started!

itty bitty baby booties

2006-04-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

One of my oldest and dearest friends had her first baby last week, so today I took a much-needed diversion from the shawl and whipped up these little booties. They are the "Sandals" from Debbie Bliss' Baby Cashmerino book, and they took less than one little skein of DB's what else? Baby Cashmerino. I had been wanting to do some for store models, but Glory's sweet little Annelise comes first. :) I just need to buy some cute little buttons for the ankle strap.

And I'm still sick of the shawl, so maybe I'll cast on for that Seta sweater I've been wanting to start. Or keep working on the Meilenweit socks. Decisions, decisions.

Shawl update

2006-04-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

I am through the seagulls and mired in trees!

In other words, I have finished the first motif repeat (seagulls) and have started the second, which is a repeat of evergreen-shaped trees.

I am completely and utterly sure that I do not have enough yarn and since I can't get more (it's local llama and it's gone), I am living in denial about what I will come up with for a solution (sound familiar, Yvonne?)

We'll see how far I get on the second skein, then I'll worry.

Pics tomorrow.

A man like mine.

2006-04-17T06:34:00.000-07:00

So I took the Yarn Harlot's new book home with me over my special two day weekend, and I come to the following quote

I suspect that knitting is a little bit like religion; many are not currently "practicing." This would explain why you can always find yourself the only knitter at a cocktail party.

This has happened to me. About an hour into a recently-attended party, I whipped out Jason's Aktiv Effekt socks (posted in FOs but never discussed in a post). In a crowd full of St. Patty's beer drinkers we didn't know so well, I asked Jason if he was embarrassed that I was knitting at a party.

He leaned over and quietly said, No, I just wish I had mine with me.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is a man.

Someone please take me to my happy place.

2006-04-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

Why? Because I am the mother of a two-almost-three-year-old, and right now she is winning the war. It takes two hours to get her to stay in bed at night, then she's up before 7. Then she's cranky and crazy, and I feel like all I do is tell her to stop it. I am tired. But,

I finished my Soy Silk Sweater (pictured above). About the sweater: It is my own design, with the help of Rene Dickey, finisher and pattern customizer extraordinaire. She came and taught a custom pattern-making seminar at the shop in January, and this is what I wanted to work out. It was my first go at coming up with a tailored-to-fit sweater for myself, and overall I mostly pleased (schematics can be seen below). I chose to use SWTC Phoenix in black (for versatility), also known as Soy Silk (the flat tape version, not the round version which is called Oasis), and I swatched on size 8 needles. I wanted a 3/4 sleeve, boat neck sweater with side shaping, and not too long.

I am obviously wearing the sweater, so that's a good sign, but it does have some issues. The yarn was great, no complaints there. Issues are as follows:

after decreasing for waist shaping, I should not have increased back to my same original number of stitches, but rather should have gone with about 8 less overall. It gaps just a little under the arms b/c of the bust being a little too big.

when I tried it on after sewing it together, but before finishing the neck edge, it wouldn't even stay on my shoulders and just stretched to no end. But, I put a small ribbed finish on the neck and that stabilized it just enough to make it wearable. Next time I would probably make the boat neck shaping not quite as wide.

the body needed more armhole shaping - there was too much sleeve to ease into the armhole when sewing them together.

Overall, though, a good first custom project, and now I've learned a ton to apply the next time. I like the overall shape of this sweater for my body type, so I will probably use it again with those above-mentioned modifications.

So! I'm done with a project that has been sitting around for a long time, and just in time to start the Pacific Northwest Shawl KAL. Yay! And don't worry - I'm still starting that Seta sweater.

Tofu, anyone?

2006-04-13T17:12:00.000-07:00

So the body is done on my Soy Silk Sweater, and I'm about halfway through the sleeves (doing both at once - takes f o r e v e r - and they're only 3/4 sleeves!).

Being true to my nature, now that I'm almost done with a major project, I (of course) want to start a new one. This is what I'm eyeing:

The yarn is new from Lana Grossa and yummy yummy yummy. It is New Cotton Seta, and it is so amazingly yummy soft I just can't believe it. Great colors, too. The sweater is from the Spring Vogue (advertising section, nonetheless) and caught my eye on my first perusal. It's worked on 4,0mm (US6), but the drop-stitch pattern is intriguing. We shall see. Right now I'm fighting myself with everything I've got to finish the damn Soy sleeves before starting something new.

And besides, once my Soy sweater is done, if I ever get stranded on a desert isle, and am wearing my sweater, I can boil bits of it down every day for a nutricious meal. What beats that?

So you're saying it's not a sock?

2006-04-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

Look who's not knitting a sock! On Monday morning I suddenly felt the urge to put down my newly started socks and pick up my Soy Silk sweater, which has been sitting since January, about 8 rounds in. So I grabbed it at the store and knit while CK napped (it was my day off), and worked more on it today, and voila! I have the front done and am mid-way through the back. It's knitting beautifully and I'm loving the Phoenix Soy Silk, but I'll post more about it and the pattern when I'm done.

In other news:

I finished one Fritzy's Sock. Made some modifications, which I'll discuss later when I finish the pair. Not sure yet what I think about these. Here's a closeup of the cable pattern.

2006-04-08T18:01:00.000-07:00

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting and do it all the time. While finishing a piece is the plan, you still love the process, and can't imagine a day going by without giving some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation involves leaving ample space for the stash and supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn ends and you begin.http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!

Forgotten FO

2006-04-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

I awoke this morning realizing I had left out a Finished Object in my quest to display every major project I had knit to date. How could I do this? Easy: it wasn't "for the store," it was just for "me." It seems lately that anything not knit for the store doesn't matter. That's because everything I knit is for the store (aside from a few gifts), and this is one sweater that I actually just knit just for myself. To top it off, I didn't even get the yarn from my own shelves: I bought it at my nearest competitor's store.

The yarn was Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande, in a deep teal color that you won't find in any other garment in my wardrobe. If you're familiar with the yarn, you know it is buttery soft and irresistible, and slightly bulky. The pattern was Amy King's Drop-Stitch Cardigan from the Fall 05 Knits. I modified it by adding a hood in place of the ribbed collar. In order to make gauge with the slightly bulky Grande I upped the needles to size 9. I completely pissed myself off by sewing in a non-separating zipper while in a rush to finish the damn thing. Who does that? Seriously? How did I not notice until I was done that I could only get it on by pulling it over my head? At any rate, that was all well and good b/c I then sent it out to my finisher, Rene Dickey, who sewed in a much more lovely zipper with much lovelier stitching.

Overall I really do like the sweater. It is comfy and warm. It looks great with a skirt but looks a little short with pants, so next time I would probably make it a little longer. The yarn is nice, but it pills sumtn feers! I constantly have to pick little bits off under the arms and on the sleeves. Oh well. It's mine all mine, and right now too, not next year when the yarn's discontinued and no longer available and therefore the display is no longer needed.

In unrelated news, here's why I'll be busy this weekend:

And here are CK's Stripey Socks on CK's Little Feet:

I am Bart Simpson. I can not learn a lesson. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

2006-04-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

Another project finito. Kind of. I actually finished this back in August or September, and never wove in the ends. How stupid. Oh - it's a Soy Silk stole, knit horizontally on alternating US13s and US5s. Great, easy pattern and the Soy Silk knits with amazing drape for a plant fiber. So where do I file this - 2005 or 2006? Hmm...

This is a pic of the goods that are waiting in the wings. On the left is Lorna's Laces in Camo that I'm going to do in some Vintage Socks pattern for J. On the right, and pictured more closely below, is:

My beautiful Christmas gift from Yvonne. It is her handspun alpaca and silk yarn, with beads. It is beautiful. I have no idea what I want to do with it, but it better be cool. And it has to be something I'm going to wear. But not a scarf. See previous posts.

Oops. Nevermind - looks like I'm going to tackle another scarf. Can I not learn a lesson from myself? Did I not just gripe and bitch and moan two days ago that I hate knitting scarves and that once started, I seem to have some sort of mental issue with finishing them? Oh well, here I go anyway. This Noro Transitions needs to be worked up, and by golly, I'm just the gal to do it.

What's wrong with this picture?

2006-04-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

Look to the right. I am down to FOUR projects on the sticks. Four. This is unprecedented. Unheard of. Bizarre. And the only thing I'm really burning to start is more socks. What on earth has happened to me??

Two Finished Scarves, aka Why I Hate Knitting Scarves

2006-04-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

First: The dreaded cabled scarf. This $#(*&^ project sat on my needles for way too long. I think I started it back in September, thinking it would show off the Cascade Indulgence yarn. Indulgence is beautiful and soft, and made of alpaca and angora. However, it is the dreaded "sport" weight, and getting people to knit on needles smaller than 9s is hard work! So, I doubled the yarn and knit this cabled scarf on 11s (took 4 balls).

It turned out beautifully, and I don't have any reasons to explain why it took so damn long, except that I think I just get mental blocks about knitting scarves. Which brings me to exhibit #2:

The Fiesta Rayon Bouclé scarf. I did this scarf to [surprise] show off the Fiesta Rayon Bouclé. I think I cast on about 120 stitches onto a size 10 circular, and knit it horizontally. Nothing fancy. It looks great. But, again, hated doing it. B O R I N G. That's what it boils down to. And this Fiesta yarn just goes and goes and goes and goes and goes. I swear that was the never-ending skein of yarn. I have to say, though, that horizontal works so great for the hand-dyes, b/c the color striations look so cool when it's done.

Let's see - oh - I got past the heel on the Cherry Tree hill socks and realized I wasn't going to have enough yarn (b/c of the cabled and moss stitch pattern, I suppose). So I pulled out the heel and did it in a contrast color, and will do the toe in it as well. I think that's the only way to make it go far enough. I'll get a pic up as soon as I finish the first one.

Finished objects from times past...

2006-04-01T16:17:00.000-08:00

Here's an onslaught of all my finished projects that are worth posting:

Evelyn Clark's Shetland Triangle from Wrap Style knit in SWTC Bamboo, Tequila.

Felted bag knit with Rowan Big Wool in Pistachio (29) and Crystal Palace Fling in Fiddleheads (9779).

Lace Leaf Pullover from Teva Durham's Loop-d-Loop, knit with double-stranded Cash Iroha in #81 by Noro.

Dreamcatcher Medallion Cardigan from Teva Durham's Loop-d-Loop, knit in Lana Grossa New Cotton, #11.

Gyrid from Elsebeth Lavold's Viking Knits Collection, knit in Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, #08.

Detail of center cable on Gyrid.

Cardigan from Filati 28 booklet, knit in Lana Grossa Trefilo, #07.

Lace/Fair Isle off-the-shoulder pullover from Holiday Vogue 05, knit in Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Extrafine.

Felted bag knit with 2 balls Noro Kureyon in #95.

Split Neck T by Knitting Pure & Simple, knit in Nashua Creative Focus Worsted, #1460.

Felted Bag knit with Nashua Wooly Stripes in Spice and Fiesta.

Children's Rollneck Pullover by Knitting Pure & Simple knit with Manos del Uruguay's kettle-dyed wool in Woodland (109).

Ready for a novel?

2006-04-01T14:14:00.000-08:00

Ok. I know, I know. It's been practically a month since I've posted. Bad, bad Sarah. I have excuses, I have reasons, but what it really all boils down to is laziness. We're getting ready to launch a re-designed website for the store, and I have been utterly consumed with prepping the graphics. All day long, I photoshop my way through hundreds of pictures of yarn balls and colorways, trying to capture the "best" representation of the color, or the variation, or whatever. I'm getting close - maybe 75% done. But that's my best excuse for not posting recently. I'm so sick of working on the computer, and photoshopping pics that I haven't had the motivation to get a silly blog post up.

BUT NO MORE!

The motivation comes from Asher, who I finally got to meet this last week. She came down to spend her Spring Break with Yvonne and Blair, and she keeps a kick-ass blog. I regularly read her (up-to-date) blog and have envy that I don't post more frequently. That and signing up for Secret Pal 8 has finally prompted me to get off my duff and post something - in the form of:

Stripey socks in Meilenweit Cotton Fun & Stripes.

I. just. love. these. socks. This colorway of oranges and pinks makes me so happy, and I love how the MCFS gets so soft and smooth after it has been through the wash. Mmm mmm mmm. I had enough left over for a pair for CK. Have I mentioned how sock crazy I've gone? I think I'm up to 6 adult pairs and the pair for Campbell, all in the last 2 months. Pair #6 was out of the Steinbache Wolle Activ Effekt, in a weird, only-a-man-could-pull-it-off colorway that had brown, tweedy black/white, orange, and a touch of minty green. Sounds putrid, but it looked good when they were done. And there's enough of that left for a CK pair, as well.

For #7 I am doing Fritzy's socks from Mountain Colors in some Cherry Tree Hill superwash that I picked up in Tahoe. Yes, I bought yarn on vacation. I also nabbed some yummy Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock in Camo to do a pair for Jason - I'm thinking of something from the Knitting Vintage Socks book by Nancy Bush. That was great vacation reading, by the way.

So what are these adorable little things, you ask? These are the oh-so-cute slippers that Jason whipped up for CK on vacation. We had a bunch of leftover Nashua Creative Focus Worsted, and J was feeling bouyed by the great slippers he did for his dad, so he thought he'd make some munchkin-sized ones for Campbell. He did them in the three days we were gone (his third project, ever, mind you) and we felted them when we got home. CK loves sitting on the dryer to watch the goods agitate and felt up. Unfortunately we need to get some leather soles b/c our wood floors cause CK to look like Bambi when she puts them on. But I can tell you there is nothing more precious than hearing your almost-3-yr-old say:

"My daddy knit me slippers!"

Last, but of course not least, are my new buttons. I'm going to do the Pacific Northwest Lace KAL starting on the 15th, thanks to Asher and Yvonne's invite. And this Cast-On button is too well-done to not use. And that's all for now. Not quite a novel, I guess. I promise to be better.

More FOs, both mine and my husband's

2006-03-17T11:33:00.000-08:00

The Men's Ribby Cardy in Manos. I got one sleeve done and joined to the body, and started the next sleeve, and that's about it. I have lost interest in the sweater in favor of socks, socks, socks. My socks list is about thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisss long and growing. I don't understand the obsession! Maybe I'm making up for lost time, since I only recently started knitting socks. But I'm headed to Tahoe this weekend, and what am I thinking about? Knitting socks on the plane. I have this irrational fear of the security folks taking away my addis and leaving me stranded. Won't happen.

So speaking of socks. Here are the finished Embossed Leaves Socks from Interweave, knit in Mountain Colors Bearfoot. And they are yummy. That's all I can say. Love 'em.

I hate sock pictures on the feet. They always make calves look big.

In other FO news, here are Jason's finished Felted Clog Slippers! Knit in Cascade 220 and Cascade EcoWool, for his dad. For Christmas. Last Christmas. But hey - it's the thought that counts! And to his credit, he went straight from learning to knit on a dishcloth to tackling this pattern, which includes knitting in the round, knitting short rows, 3-needle bind-offs, and more. He did swell. And he liked them so much after he felted them that he has started an adorable pair for our daughter. Pics of those to come soon. Also to come soon: pics my bright orange and pink socks in Lana Grossa Meilenweit Cotton Fun & Stripes.

Is it really any surprise?

2006-03-11T12:40:00.000-08:00

I knew I shouldn't have done this, but I couldn't resist. I shouldn't even be posting the results, but hey, I'm a sucker for punishment.

You Are Miss Piggy

A total princess and diva, you're totally in charge - even if people don't know it.

You want to be loved, adored, and worshiped. And you won't settle for anything less.

You're going to be a total star, and you won't let any of the "little people" get in your way.

Just remember, piggy, never eat more than you can lift!

The Muppet Personality Test

Sockos Finitos

2006-03-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

Pictured here are two pairs of finally-finished socks.

On top, the First Socks. Yup, that's right, my very first pair of socks. They are only "finally" finished, because I knit the first sock, got excited about socks, and promptly left it behind to knit other socks. So I had one, lone, pink sock for six months or so, and I finally finished the other last night.

But. These are Socks Of Many Gauges. The first sock (knit on US1's in Opal Rain Forest) is, let's say, normal. And so is the first 2" of the second sock. Then, after picking the 2nd sock up a week ago, I proceeded to continue knitting it banshee style. That means like a crazed, hunched over, tense insane woman. So, the stripes are different, and it is definitely snugger than its partner. Oh well. THEY'RE FINISHED.

And not nearly as exciting but equally pleasing to be finished: Jason's socks (Mountain Colors 4/8s Wool on size US6's). I got one done during the Olympics while working on the Rogue, but had to wait to finish the other until the Olympics were over. And so:

Sockos Finitos.

Award Ceremonies for Team Knot Another Hat

2006-03-02T09:39:00.000-08:00

Here are the highlights from our 2006 Winter Knitting Olympics Medal Ceremony for Team Knot Another Hat. All finishers won Gold Medals (and $10 gift cards to the store). Congratulations everyone!

Anne and her daughter Mikayla, modeling the Kids Bulky Cardigan that Anne knit in Cascade EcoWool and Crystal Palace BeBop.

Alison (left) knit a beautiful chunky weight shrug. Sarah (right) another Olympic

participant, graciously modeled it for us all.

Sarah's mother, Susan, knit and felted this beautiful striped tote with

Nashua Creative Focus Worsted.

A shot of projects from top: Messenger bag from knitty.com knit by Cindy in EcoWool; Ruffle Scarf crocheted in Gedifra California by Amancay; Crocheted socks by Sonja; Moebius basket knit and felted in Manos del Uruguay by Marie Louis; Striped tote by Susan in Creative Focus Worsted; Mittens by Blair from Ann Budd's Handy Guide to Patterns; Cashmere vest by Libby (her own design).

These amazing dragons are the design of Sarah (pictured above in the shrug), who crochets them in wool and felts them.

Blair, modeling the sweater his wife Yvonne knit him for the Olympics, in addition to being draped in the Shawl that Cherri made from the Crystal Palace Kit.

Sonja showing us her crocheted socks, done in MicroSpun.

Olympic Victory: thank god it's over

2006-02-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

Whew. Rogue was finished in the nick of time, and proudly worn Sunday. I even watched a (very small) portion of the closing ceremonies in the Rogue. And you know what? It fits, and it's comfy, and warm, and I love it. But I don't think I can ever do a monogamous knitting project again.

At first, I loved how it consumed me. The competitive drive to churn out this sweater in 16 days really lit a fire under my ass, and I dove right in enthusiastically. But somewhere around day 8 or 9, I realized how behind I was in real life stuff, like getting taxes ready, receiving inventory at the store, doing my bookwork and paying bills, yadda yadda yadda. And once I took a break to do those things, I lost my zeal to attack the Rogue with everything I had.

So it sat, near completion, for several days. I finally finished all of the knitting around day 13. And then it sat again, just needing the hem sewn up, until the morning of the 26th. It took all of half an hour to put the finishing touches on, and I was oh so happy to know I was done with the damn thing.

Don't get me wrong: Rogue - wonderful pattern; MY Rogue - wonderful sweater. But focusing on one project for 16 days at the cost of all other creative outlets and distractions was really exhausting! And my face is full of zits, which really pisses me off. I have no proof that there is a direct correlation, but let's just say there is.

So to sum up my event in the 2006 Knitting Olympics, I would have to say that it was enjoyable (overall), that I learned a tremendous amount about myself and my knitting, and that it did indeed inspire me. But I'm glad to be done.

Here's the finished Rogue and some highlights from the Olympics (more pics to follow when I'm back at work tomorrow):

Projects on Sabbatical: 7

2006-02-22T17:48:00.000-08:00

Surprise, surprise: Another sock.

My final project on sabbatical? The pair to my very first pair of socks. I was so excited to successfully teach myself to knit a sock (and on circulars!), that I proceeded to move on to other, more interesting socks, leaving the original without a mate for the last 6 months.

But, I'm sorely needing handknit socks to wear this spring, so I vow to get this guy finished ASAP. Seriously. I promise.

Why I have only knit 6 rows in the last 3 days.

2006-02-22T17:09:00.000-08:00

And that's just the stuff I haven't been able to find a home for yet. Yummy new stuff, but oh, so much work.

Add to that a sick toddler who has taken to waking up before the crack of dawn (my new knitting time since I'm too exhausted to knit when I get home at night), and my bold projection of Olympic glory may have been grossly overstated.

I have some 40 rows left on the hood. Whew. We'll see.

Sunday Morning Progress: All Before a Latte!

2006-02-19T10:13:00.000-08:00

So I awoke this morning at 5:40 with thoughts of sewing my sleeves seams. I realized this was too early to get up and sew sleeves, so I decided to try to go back to sleep for at least an hour. Then my daughter woke up, so I got up to put her back to bed, and by then it ws 6:00 so I stayed up. Sleeves it was.

So by 7 the sleeves were done, and I though, gee, why don't I just go ahead and set them in to the body of the sweater?

Tada! By 10 (including breakfast breaks and a short break to have my "hair done" by my 2 year old), the sleeves were sewn in and ends woven. I haven't tacked up the bias hem facing yet because I think I need to refer to my Vogue book for tips on that (new skill, yay!).

So, hood is picked up and about 8 rows worked, out of 90-something, I think. And that will be it! Whew! One week to finish, I think I can make it (at the risk of having the universe again punish me for getting cocky).

KO Stories from the frontline: my mother-in-law

2006-02-18T11:58:00.000-08:00

Going for the Gold

Hi! My name is Cherri Keller. Yes, I have the same last name as Sarah and am her Mother-in-Law. I’m one of the nice Mother-in-laws and tell everyone that I was the one that taught Sarah to knit. Which I did, but her love for fibers and yarns took her further than I have ever thought of going with the hobby of knitting.

I purchased a Flower Power Triangle Shawl from Sarah last August. I read the pattern over and over and set everything up to begin the project. This kit has 6 different Crystal Palace Yarns in 10 different colors. I knit with two colors of my choice in garter stitch for four to six rows. Then I keep one of the yarns and change the other to a new yarn. I started with two stitches and increased ever odd number row. I had to cut the yarn each change, leaving an 8 to 10 inch fringe.

This is not a pattern one can knit, chat, and pick up when ever they want. I had to have all 10 balls of yarn out so I could find the new yarn. The main thing too was you didn’t want the shawl to look like you were doing a pattern of so many rows with the same colors.

I started to knit on the night of the 10th, but I had company and they wanted to talk. Also the 35” circular needles where difficult to handle doing only two, three, and four stitches. The next day I got straight 15 needles and that night started again. This time not only was there still the company, but a puppy joined the group. Again I had troubles visiting and knitting, plus the puppy liked all the different yarns waving in the wind. After taking yarn away from the dog twice, I stopped again. Once everyone left Monday I was able to try to knit again. I’m over half done and than I have to add all the fringe and block.

I asked Sarah, Where is it written that when a person has a job to do with a deadline, does everyone and their dog show up?

Almost done,
Cherri

6:30 am Day 9: Sleeves Blocked

2006-02-18T11:37:00.000-08:00

Yay! Sleeves finally done. As I explained before, I had to wet block so I could try to wash out the eerie green chalk that looked like mold. Sarah: 1, Green Chalk: 0.

Now, on to the hood.

Projects on Sabbatical: 6

2006-02-18T11:21:00.000-08:00

The Pacific Northwest Shawl from Fiber Trends.

I started this shawl about a month ago, when Deb from Cabernet Creek Farms came in with 15 skeins of commercially spun, 100% llama to put on consignment in the store. This stuff feels like buttuh in the hands, I'm telling you. I snatched up a couple of the 3.5oz skeins to use for the Pacific Northwest shawl, something I've had my eye on making since I opened the store. Needless to say, the remaining 12 skeins flew out of the store at an alarming rate, and that was all Deb had left. Six skeins or so went to Alison, who made one of the most beautiful shawls I've ever seen. If I'm nice, maybe she'll let me take a pic next time she's in and I'll post it.

So, I got the shawl started as far as you see in the picture, and then set it down in favor of more travel-friendly projects that didn't require skills such as, oh, paying attention. I'm excited to get back to it, however, after seeing Alison's finished shawl. The llama is some of the softest stuff I have ever felt, and wonderfully light-weight but warm. Yummy.

Day 7 Progress: Sleeves

2006-02-17T17:52:00.000-08:00

OK, I'm a little behind on the post, but this is as far as I got as of last night (Thurs night). I am now within about 10 rows of finishing the sleeve caps, and then I will wash them and block them out.

I wouldn't normally wash them, but I had a minor run-in with green chalk (don't ask), and hence one sleeve looks as if it is growing benign but ugly patches of mold. Nothing a little tepid, soapy water can't take care of.

Pics to follow tomorrow morning.

Body Blocked.

2006-02-16T15:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the handy-dandy blocking wires and blocking board my mom gave me for Christmas. And the steamer she gave me a few weeks ago. :) So pretty.

Projects (kind of) on Sabbatical: 5

2006-02-16T15:11:00.000-08:00

Socks for Mr. Keller.

These are some comfy socks for my husband, knit in the super-dooper hand-dyed 4/8s Wool from Mountain Colors, on 2 pairs of Addi Turbos in size 6. I only recently came into the sock knitting world, and am so hooked already. After finishing my first pair and realizing that hand-knit socks really are more comfortable than commercial socks, I promised Jason a pair so he could see that for himself.

I say that they are "kind of" on sabbatical because I'm using them for demonstration in my Socks on 2 Circulars class, which will be finishing tonight. I needed to get them completed up to grafting the toe so I can demonstrate the Kitchener stitch to the class, so I had to put KO knitting aside for about half an hour this morning. On the positive side, this means he'll have one finished sock after class this evening!

Everyone should check this out and donate:

2006-02-16T11:29:00.000-08:00

Check out Fyberduck's experience with Visiknit. Absolutely amazing.

Gee, look, I made spaghetti AGAIN.

2006-02-15T14:11:00.000-08:00

You know, in honor of the Olympics being in Italy and all.

Bleck.

So, apparently I'm supposed to be increasing four times in each sleeve increase row, once on each edge, and once on each side of the 2 markers denoting the cable chart. Whoever heard of making 4 increases in one sleeve increase row??? It helps when you read the directions before you're 35 rows in. So here we go again. I had wanted to finish the sleeves today, but I'll be lucky if I end the day where I ended yesterday.

Bleck.

Projects on Sabbatical: 4

2006-02-15T12:31:00.000-08:00

The Soy Silk sweater.

A few weeks ago, professional finisher Rene Dickey came down to the store to run a couple of workshops, one of which was Custom Sweater Design. She helped me design my perfect sweater to the gauge I achieved with Pheonix, the soy silk tape yarn from Southwest Trading Company. I've done the ribbing on the bottom, and maybe 5 rows. That's it. It'll be a great summer sweater (boat neck, 3/4 sleeves), so I need to get crackin' once the KOs are over.

I made spaghetti last night.

2006-02-15T12:18:00.000-08:00

And no, I'm not talking about the yummy Italian noodle, often served with a tasty red meat sauce.

I'm talking about a big freaking pile of squiggly cream wool, the result of having to pull out most of my progress on one sleeve.

I should have known it would happen. I think I got a little cocky about my progress to date, a little smug in the knowledge that I would probably finish this sweater by my Olympic deadline. So, the universe punished me.

I was ready to quit for the night, nearing the top of the chart on the sleeves (I'm working them both at the same time). And then I noticed it - somehow I had put in a cable where NO CABLE SHOULD BE. Why? Why would I have done that on one sleeve and not the other? Who knows. I threaded in a lifeline and pulled. Bleck. I left it all squiggly-spaghettily and called it a night (I'd show you pics but I left the camera at the store).

So guess who was back up at 5:30 in the morning to fix the wayward sleeve?? That's right! It was right above a row with a quad-decrease done on one stitch, which was a bitch to backtrack. But, I got it, and I am now almost back even with the other sleeve (hence the photo showing one sleeve facing forward and one backward). This is where I am now:

In other news, we have fun new stuff at the store! I have brought in the lines distributed by Aurora Yarns, which includes Garnstudio. So, pictured below is their yummy 100% Alpaca (beautiful colors, almost 200 yards for $7.95!!!, whew!), and the great Drops Ice, a chunky cotton. And best of all, the Drops pattern magazines. I don't know if you've seen them before, but there's easily 5 or 6 sweaters in each that I'm just itching to do. Oh goodness - my poor projects on sabbatical - how are they going to compete with new stuff? Oh - and I also received some great Activ Effekt self-patterning sock yarn. Oh boy oh boy oh boy!

Projects on Sabbatical: 3

2006-02-14T10:50:00.000-08:00

The ribbed men's zip-front cardigan from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts.

I saw Alison start this project for her hubby, and was immediately inspired. I had been searching high and low for a great men's pattern for my husband'ss first knitted gift from me (apart from one hat). I had found a couple, but he nixed them right away (and I admit, I wasn't overly enthusiastic about them, either). So when I saw Alison choose this, and I realized I carried this book in the store, and I picked out some yummy Manos del Uruguay, and Kazaam! The ribbed cardy it was.

I started it at the beginning of a ski weekend to Mt. Bachelor with friends from out of town. I got plenty of knitting time in the car (upwards of 8 hours counting the trip there and back, and trips to the PDX airport to collect said friends). And plenty of knitting time in the evenings sitting around playing games. I expected to get plenty of knitting time while everyone else went skiing, since my last foray into the slide-down-the-hill-on-your-ass sport was over 12 years ago and I wasn't too thrilled to go at it again. But - I skied! Yay for me! And I did all right! So the only thing I did in the lodge at the end of the day was drink. No complaints there.

So the status of the sweater at sabbatical time: fronts and back done up to armholes, at which point you are instructed to set it aside and work the sleeves. Somehow you join them in round to the body, a style I have never worked before and am anxious to try out. So this sweater is out in the world, learning more about its meaning and place in my knitting life, and its future in my husband's life. See you in 12 days!

The cost of Olympic obsession.

2006-02-14T05:43:00.000-08:00

Sleep. That is the cost of Olympic obsession. It is 5:45 am, and as my husband left for work, suddenly thoughts of continuing knitting popped into my sleepy head, thereby ruining any chance at all for going back to sleep until a decent hour. Like, say, 7.

So I may as well tell you about my progress on Day 4! My secret personal goal was to finish both front and back, so that the body could be scratched off the to-do list.

I almost made it.

But I feel good anyway, considering that the front has more cabling and charting at the neckline. I did indeed finish the back, and the left front, and am poised to slip my live right front stitches back on the needles and go to town. Then it's on to the sleeves. Woohoo!

I must say that I am cruising through this thing at a much faster rate than I had originally anticipated. It's just too bad that I absolutely hate doing sleeves. Maybe I'll do one sleeve, do the hood, and then do the other.

On another positive note, I have gone through rougly 550 yards of a required 1300, so that makes me about 42% finished, right?

Now, on to making coffee.

Day 3 of the Olympics: On the Road to Gold

2006-02-13T13:43:00.000-08:00

What can I say? Day 3 went smoothly, without a hitch. I met my goal of finishing Chart A, which is the side shaping cable chart, and ends when you are ready to divide for the arms and work front and back separately. On to Day 4!

Projects on Sabbatical: 2

2006-02-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

The beautiful Embossed Leaves socks from the Winter 05 Interweave issue.

The store just recently received a new shipment of Mountain Colors Bearfoot, a yummy hand-dyed sock yarn consisting of 60% superwash wool, 25% mohair, and 15% nylon. I picked Ruby River, a deep red colorway, and the Embossed Leaves pattern from the winter Interweave. It is coming along beautifully, and I have to admit this was the project I most recently held in my hands before beginning the Olympics (so therefore the one I was most interested in). It didn't really need to go on sabbatical to learn about itself and its purpose, but it also didn't want to feel left out when all the other projects left.

This pattern was a little tricky for me after picking up the heel and beginning the gusset, mostly because I work on 2 circulars and have to re-interpret the pattern somewhat to keep the lace pattern where it should be and still count my shaping stitches correctly. But I love a good challenge, so yippee. I'll see you in 13 days socks!

Day 2: Knitting Olympic Nightmare

2006-02-12T12:18:00.000-08:00

Remember that yarn I used out of the end table in my living room?

Oh cursed, cursed yarn.

Mid-way through that ball, around 10 pm last night, it started to fall apart. Literally. I first noticed that one ply (out of four) had broken as I came across the previous row, right in the middle of the cable chart. Since three plies still held, I just thought I would keep an eye on it and keep going.

Wrong. By the time I made it around again, 3 plies had snapped and the stitches were barely holding on by one lonely little ply. I decided I would cut some yarn and go in and stitch it over those precipitous, fraying stitches - after completing a few more rows. I did one more row, and felt a knot building in my working yarn, below my hand. I stopped, looked, and discovered not a knot, but another broken ply, unraveling around the 3 remaining plies. I swore. I stopped. Backed up 10 stitches or so, cut off the offensive yarn, and rejoined. Now, a normal person might stop to worry that this was perhaps a bad ball of yarn. Not I, knithlete in pursuit of perfection. I plowed on.

And not one row later, the SAME thing happened again. Again, I tell you! Two plies frayed and I had to stop, cut out the broken yarn, and join new. But AGAIN, did I put aside this faulty ball and seek out a better choice? No. What kind of challenge would that be?

I worked another row. I decided I would go and fix that original spot where I was down to one, frayed ply holding my knitting together in the cable. So I fixed that, and picked up where I left off. I knit 3 stitches and came to the end of the yarn. I said, what the hell?? I said other things that I can't type here because this time, the yarn had broken COMPLETELY.

At this point I finally clued myself in, dropped the crappy ball of yarn, and started with a new ball. Problem solved, for now.

Projects on Sabbatical: 1

2006-02-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

So, I thought I'd showcase each day one of the numerous projects that I have sent on sabbatical in order to focus on the Olympics. Each project has been sent off to explore, research, learn about its craft and field, for the next 16 days. When they return to me at the end of the Olympics, they will be refreshed, renewed, and all the more knowledgeable about their purpose in my knitting life.

Project 1: The damn cabled scarf.

This is the Cabled Scarf pattern from Keep It Simple. And it's simple. Which is why I picked it to show off Cascade Indulgence, a slow-seller in the store. Indulgence is truly an indulgence, with 30% angora and 70% alpaca. Super soft, fine, beautiful. So, I've doubled the strands to meet the gauge of the scarf, chosen a color that is often overlooked, and started the scarf. About 3 months ago. It has long been languishing on the needles, ignored on purpose while I have been in pursuit of more glamourous projects. There's nothing wrong with it; in fact, when customers see it lying around they often pick it up and pet it, inquire about the yarn, say how lovely it is going to be. This is the purpose of knitting a store model, right? So why can't I just finish the damn thing?

This is why it is on sabbatical. It will be back in 16 days, full of fresh new ideas on why it will be a glorious, finished, cabled, scarf.

Olympics: Pre-dawn, day 2

2006-02-11T11:31:00.000-08:00

Whew, I knit through the entire night, and am finished with the body and ready to start the sleeves.

Ha ha.

I only knit until 10, when I realized I needed to join a new ball, which I didn't bring home from the store. Then I woke up at 6:40 realizing that I had an extra ball of the same yarn, same dyelot, already wound, sitting inside my end table in the living room (don't ask why). So I got up and worked a little more before I had to set down my needles and take a shower. I am sure that bathing will become less and less important as the Olympics wear on.

So: hem facing-done. 13 rows of body-done. Kangaroo pocket-almost done.

The best part about this pattern? I love cables, but they are time consuming. This is the perfect combo of mindless and having-to-pay-attention knitting. The celtic cables are knit up the side (accomplishing the side shaping at the same time-yay!), so you only have to periodically pay attention.

And, there is such an emotional payoff when you get to see your cables developing. Aaahh.

No, I did not cheat. Not really.

2006-02-10T16:37:00.000-08:00

So who knew twisted stockinette was such a royal pain in the ass?? The facing on the hem of the Rogue can be worked in twisted stockinette (knit through the back of every stitch) or in a 1 x 1 rib. Silly me, I think: gee, ribbing takes extra time. I'll do the twist.

My hand is cramped into a gnarly claw. And I had to actually pay attention. And it called for 12 rows of facing, but I quit at 11. I had to, for my own mental health. Don't you judge me. And it's supposed to lean on a bias, I swear.

Don't you judge me!

Hello Olympics!

2006-02-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

It's official, the 2006 Winter Knitting Olympics have begun! The torch is lit in Torino, which means we can all begin our 16 day quest to go completely insane. For me, insanity will come in the form of celtic cable knots, bias stitch hems, kangaroo pockets, and a hood, AKA the Rogue Hoody.

I got in early enough this morning to begin my training (read:wind yarn and knit my gauge swatch - YES - I did test gauge both flat and in the round), and accomplished the training so quickly that I became antsy and bored, waiting for the torch to be lit. The store was totally slow, so I started surfing the web, streaming NPR, basically wasting time. All of a sudden, I come across an article on CNN about the Opening Ceremony in Torino. Doh! The torch is lit. Crap, what am I doing surfing the web?????

And so it began.

I am mid-way through 13 rows of twisted stockinette, which I am finding surprisingly S L O W. But, I am determined to get through at least the bias hem facing this afternoon, and break into the exciting side cable charts and body work. Whew. Unlike Yvonne, I have NOT counted out the entire number of required rows for my project and calculated how many rows I must complete EACH day to finish on time. I am not that insane. I prefer to sip my nutsiness blindly, trying to do as much as possible each day until the last 48 hours, when I will knit until my fingers bleed, cry at my ineptitude, and probably get pissy with my husband for no reason at all (my apologies in advance).

Team KAH: Please send me pictures of your Olympic progress, and I will post updates on the blog.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Okay, so here it is.

2006-02-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

After much harrassing by a certain knitting buddy (Yvonne), I have finally caved and started this blog. In my life there exists NO extra time whatsoever for maintaining a blog, yet here I am, embarking nonetheless. Hmph.

The extra push that led me here was the 2006 Winter Knitting Olympics, and Team Knot Another Hat. Team KAH is 25 members strong, and I felt they needed a forum for sharing their progress on their Olympic projects.

Our team (as of today):
Myself (Rogue hoody)
Yvonne (Elsebeth Lavold sweater)
Renee (felted diaper bag)
Libby (Equivest)
Cindy (felted messenger bag)
Leah (Soy shawl)
Jenny (Anny Blatt wrap cardigan)
Tracy (Jan's felted bag)
Pam (split-neck T)
Jeannie (socks)
Virginia (hat)
Blair (mittens)
Sarah (felted animal)
Susan (Molly's felted bag)
Lynn (felted Easter basket)
Teri (Heidi's Tote)
Anne (child's sweater)
Crystal (felted bag)
Cherri (Flower Power Triangle Shawl)
Julie (spinning wool for felted bag)
Amancay (crocheted black ruffle scarf)
Marie Louise (double Moebius basket)
Sonja (crocheted socks)
Alison (shrug for daughter May)
Christie (socks)