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August 31, 2004

Baby Blankets and Pastel Hell

The blanket I mentioned below is the very thing that I would never make for my own babies because I very nearly hate pastel colors. Why nearly? Because I like them on other people's babies, go figure. You might ask me why I bought the yarn then. I have a sickness. Soft skwooshie things get me everytime. The Polarspun is like what you think a cloud must feel like if you could only touch it. Unfortunately it only comes in pastel. Oh, it does come in white, but who on earth puts white on a baby?! Especially a breastfeeding baby with bright, sunshiney yellow poop that DOES NOT come out.

Anyway, Susan, I wouldn't use pink on a boy but ONLY because I am so not a pink lovin kinda person. That was one of the unexpected bonuses of having three boys. Nobody gave me pastel! Lots of people around me are though, so the blanket will get gone eventually. This particular neighbor's husband is a hard, southern rockin Harley man. It would get oohed and ahhhed over and then put in a closet for regifting and that would piss me off. Cause I'm like that. So, you are absolutely right, I still will have to make something for her and already have something in mind. I will do a boy-ified version of the Tasia's Sweater that I just did (with a plain raglan increase and a basket weave stitch) which will take me less than a week and use up the pretty, deep blue acrylic stash yarn that I already own, so it won't even cost me a thing. Cause I'm like that too.

And Kim, I am very, very happy to say that I picked the Picasso back up last night and am wailing on it. I am up to her belly button now and getting to the, edge-of-the-seat exciting part. I may even need some chammomile tea just to help calm my nerves. No, seriously, I am obsessing on how to felt this monster - I have decided to hand felt it, instead of machine wash thanks to reading about it on somebody or other's blog. I am going to look for a big baby bathtub soon. Or no wait, maybe I will use one of my giant Rubber Maid Totes? I have been worried about the floats in the back pulling in too much - Emily (Fathom) suggested that I cut the floats. She is absolutely right, I will cut the floats halfway through the felting process. The Babbajoe's woolpak on size 11 needles is fairly loose (which you need for felting) and I think cutting them prior to felting would be disastrous.

Oh what has happened to the summer?!! I hate to say it but I may actually have to put the Italian Tee on the back burner and pick the lavendar sweater from Peace Fleece back up. Hotknits sent Zibbibo this fabulous rusty autumny boucle that I am eyeing for a shawl. The shawl is going to have to be next because I need it for a vacation I am taking to Prague over Thanksgiving. So project priority has become: Picasso, shawl, toddler jumper (nearly done by a neighbor's mother, I am helping finish it), baby sweater, boy sweaters x 3, socks x 4, Peace Fleece sweater x 2, Polarspun baby blanket, Italian tee. Oh, and there may be a booga bag thrown in somewhere for good measure. There better be some good damn TV this winter, that is all I have to say.

Shoot! I forgot I am supposed to start the TKGA Master Knitter program as a knit along beginning Sept first (uh, that would be TOMORROW!). So add that as a concurrent project. Stop laughing.

Posted by DebC at 08:16 AM | Comments (3)

August 29, 2004

T3-Free

After hiding it in the bottom of my knitting bag for over a week, I bravely dug out the T3 shirt tonight and... FINISHED IT! Yippee-freaking-kai-yay (how on earth is that spelled anyway?)

I decided to loosely bind off the two small live sections on the front and back neck and do single crochet as I did before (and ripped out!). But this time, I decided I would open the shoulders up a bit. Remember the part where I taught myself three needle bind off? Well, lucky day, lucky day. It just so happened that I started from the outside of the shoulders and worked inwards, on both shoulders! I love me. It turned out very nice and easily fits my big shrek-head.

It actually fits well (imagine that!) although, I wish that it was about two inches or so longer. I love the yarn that I used but I guess I should wait until after I wash it the first time to really decide, LOL.

Also, here is a gratuitous WIP shot of that polar spun blankie I am doing. I decided to beef it up by stranding some off white acrylic with it. It turns out that, a. the neighbor I am making it for is actually going to have another boy and, b. it is too time and yarn expensive to give it to a random neighbor. I guess I will finish it and put it away for someone special. I am doing the tumbling dice stitch pattern but the polarspun is hiding it. It is mainly coming out as a three-D effect rather than actual stitches. I like it. I am going to use the stitch pattern in something else because it is really interesting but begs to be seen.

Posted by DebC at 10:23 PM | Comments (3)

August 22, 2004

Argh!

I have done so well with seaming the T-3 shirt, right up until I got to the neck that is. I have ripped the neck out two times so far. The first neck was five rows of ribbing and then the darning needle bind off. Way too floppy and the neck was a bit too high. Next, I bound off the front and back sections that were still live (fifteen stitches in the front and another fifteen in the back) and put a single crochet edging on. It wouldn't even begin to go over my head. Rippit rippit.

I broke out my fantastic new knitting resource, the Reader's Digest, Knitter's Handbook by Montse Stanley. If you don't have this already, I strongly suggest you take a look at it. She is very opinionated about how to knit (I won't call her knitting police though) but her writing is interesting and she adds in quite a bit of history for us geeks. I wouldn't recommend it to someone just learning but for the intermediate to advanced beginner, this is an inspirational resource. My only suggestion for improving this book is to be more consistent on suggestion uses for the various techniques (for intance, in the cast on section she suggest how floppy or firm it will be but in the bind off section she doesn't). Anyway, she has a bunch of bind off techniques detailed, so I just have to pick one. Anyone got any bright ideas for a stretchy but not floppy bindoff? I forgot to mention the reason the problem is so hard - I am using 100% cotton, so the yarn itself has no give.

In other news, I started a baby blanket for another expecting neighbor. I found some yarn while in the States that is just amazingly soft. And acrylic. (insert Psycho shower music). It is Lion Brand Polar Spun. I am pairing it with a worsted weight, off white run of the mill acrylic (more stash busting woohoo). The Polar Spun by itself is so cloud-like that the swatch looks like a shag rug. Combined with the other yarn, you can see a little bit of stitch definition. I have decided to use size 15 (U.S.) needles, Denise circs of course, with a knit/purl block pattern. So far, it is so beautiful, fun and soft that I am thinking it will be very hard to give away. One of my children has already tried to lay claim to it. Now, if only Polar Spun came in non pastel colors.

Posted by DebC at 09:57 AM | Comments (2)

August 18, 2004

Just back from vacation

If you want to hear about the vacation, check my other blog for the story, otherwise, I will spare you, hahahahahahaha.

Traveling on airplanes (eight flights altogether!) was a piece of cake with my Denise needles. Hahahahaha, sounds like a commercial. I was not even questioned, a single time. I also bought a Clover pendant in the States that made it through two airport security checks. I don't think they have a clue what it even is. I think the people that have been stopped with it must have had it in their pocket and security laid hands on it. When you look at it up close, it looks like some kind of ninja throwing star. On xray, it looks like a metal circle and not a weapon. I was prepared to mail stuff home though.

I am nearly finished with the T-3 shirt, I just have to seam the sides and sleeves. It turned out really nice, although I am not entirely happy with the way that I bound off the neck. I used my sock binding technique because I wanted the neckhole to be stretchy. As a result it is a bit floppy. I haven't tried it on yet so maybe it will be okay. I think that sock thing only works on wool or stretchy yarn and not on cotton. I learned the three needle bind off AND the magic loop technique totally on the fly - I have only heard them talked about and had not tried it and did not have any references with me to consult. I thought the Denise needles had limitations but now I realize that they absolutely do not. For the three needle bind off, I simply took off the second needle and used the cable as a needle. I have to say that I LOVE this method! It resembles my used-to-be favorite crochet seam except it lays much flatter. The crochet techique makes a fantastically strong seam that is really good for kids clothes but it is bulky. The magic loop took some imagination and a fair amount of doubt because I had never even read how it was done. But once I figured it out, it too was a fantastic addition to my knitting toolbag. I won't go so far as to say that I will throw out my dpn's but it is definitely an option for plane flights. On a related note, I bought the book "Socks Soar On Two Circs" to try. Again, I love using dpn's but I am willing to give it a try.

I managed to make it nearly my whole vacation, 12 out of 13 days, before visiting a yarn shop! I finally visited two in Illinois, one in Wheaton and one in Downer's Grove. A third that I was looking for was apparently out of business. The Downer's Grove one had just opened three weeks prior and was very pretty. It also sold expresso. This is a very good idea and would definitely seem to encourage in-store knitting, although I doubt it would encourage nonknitters to come in for coffee. They seemed fairly busy and looked happy. I got yarn for socks and the above mentioned book. The other knitting store, in Wheaton, was well established and had that happy chaos look that comes from a well loved yarn shop. This second one was the one that I would have chosen to sit down and knit. It was like being at a good friend's house. The first one was too new looking and even though they invited you to sit down, I was too afraid of damaging something. I am sure that in a year or two it will be more broken in. I look at yarn shops totally differently now that I am planning to start my own. Now I find myself evaluating what works and what doesn't. Kid table and toys are a resounding yes now that Seth has endured two knitting shops happily. Not putting prices on the shelf or yarn is a definite no no. Both shop owners hung back and did not bother me but both were quick to help and chat when I wanted to - a definite must. Making the store look like a fancy, high price salon is a no no. It makes people afraid to touch something and mess up the display. Starting off with a comfortably organized look is necessary rather than having everything arranged just so. Knitted swatches are great for fondling, knitted articles are not as necessary (although they are a nice way to demonstrate a pattern). Scarves are a wonderful way to demonstrate a yarn. In the new store, a customer asked to put on a shawl that was hanging in the window but the owner told her she didn't know how to get it off the display! In my dream store, I would not have anything that I didn't want fondled. I think allowing one ball of yarn for display in front of the shelf would discourage many balls from being tangled but still allow the customer to touch.

I also got a treat for me, Wendy and my secret pal that I will not mention here (yet).

Posted by DebC at 10:56 AM | Comments (1)