Calamity Laura Knits

Autumn Shawl

2008-11-03T00:43:00.008-03:00

I finished my Autumn Shawl a few weeks ago, but never found time for taking photos. Glad I waited -- I got a vintage dress form from Craigs list today, for only 20.00! Both the pattern and the yarn were great fun!

Chillin' with his Homey

2008-09-22T00:41:00.003-03:00

I finished the first of what I suspect will be many projects from the Sock and Glove book. This project was a bit more labor intensive than I had anticipated, and I put it away for about a month after I started it.

I am quite pleased, though, with the end results. Baxter likes it too, and carried around body parts for a while this afternoon.

I had hopes of making these with my nephews, but I'm wondering if they would get frustrated and give up on the fiddly bits? My co-worker who gave me the book said the elephant was the hardest project from the book (and isn't it just like me to jump in with the most difficult), so I'll give one of the easier softies a whirl and see if it seems likely that they will be able to finish the project.

Quick Crafting Fix

2008-09-01T18:38:00.002-03:00

Sometimes you just need a project that is complete in a few hours -- this necklace certainly fits the bill!

I got the green pendant a few weeks ago at Michael's, and the rest of the findings today at ACMoore. It was very satisfying, took less than an hour, and I'm quite happy with the results.

I wish I could claim the same results with the knitting projects. Things are moving forward, but not at all as dramatically.

FOs (historic and current)

2008-08-17T01:42:00.005-03:00

I made a quilt for a baby shower this spring, but I don't think I ever posted a picture. I just can't seem to get enough of batik fabric.

I just finished another baby shower gift - fishy wash mitts. I got the yarn and the idea at the Alamitos Bay Yarn Company, but I modified the store pattern to knit in the round, and changed from garter stitch body to stockinette. I didn't want to sew seams, and I thought garter stitch might feel too rough on a baby's skin.

Hooray - only halfway through the Ravelympics, and I'm done with a WIP! I don't think, though, that I have any chance of finishing the other 4 projects that were on my list . . .

How to Plan a Bachelorette Party

2008-07-24T22:52:00.005-03:00

To the ladies from knitting group, a bevy of tasteful, mature hints to help with planning your future events.

1. Get advice from experts.

2. Be prepared.

3. Incorporate Arts and Crafts.

4. Make it a learning experience.

New JamJams for the Baby!!

2008-05-28T22:10:00.005-03:00

A completed project at last!

I finished a pair of pajamas for my nephew. I think this is the first time I made clothing from a pattern as an adult. The last time I remember sewing clothing from a pattern was a skirt in junior high when I took sewing lessons.

I had to make a few phones calls to NC to ask my mom some questions, but I'm quite happy with how they turned out!

I suspect I'll be making some lighter weight ones for the summer!

Copy Cats

2008-03-23T18:10:00.000-03:00

Two or three times a week I find the cats in close proximity and in identical poses. It kinda freaks me out. Baxter sifted a bit when I turned the camera on, but initially they were in identical positions. So odd.

The perfect quiz for me

2008-03-15T14:42:00.002-03:00

Well, until they come out with a "what type of yarn are you" quiz, that is.

You Are Flip Flops

You are laid back and very friendly. Cheery and sunny in disposition, you usually have something to smile about.

Style is important to you, as long as you can stay casual. It takes a lot to get you to dress up!

You are a loyal and true person, though you can be a bit of a flake. You tend to "play hooky" and blow off responsibilities a lot more than most people.

You should live: By the beach

You should work: At a casual up and coming company

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

Sick of winter.

2008-02-16T23:14:00.006-03:00

Snow. And cold weather. Sigh. I'm going to forget all this and remember instead springtime in Italy.

I enjoyed so many things during my trip, but one of my favorite things was a vist to Villa d'Este in Tivoli, outside of Rome. This was a peaceful stop after 2 frenetic days in Rome.

This estate includes a terraced garden filled with fountains. From the moment you step into the gardens, the sound of gurgling, rushing water fills your ears. The tourguide said there were over 500 fountains in the garden. I only had time to visit 3 levels of the terrace, but I'm inclined to believe him. None of my pictures capture the scale of the garden, and the fact that it is built into the side of a mountain

Just for Lauren

2008-01-16T00:54:00.000-03:00

I haven't got the energy to give you a real post, so here are some bad pictures of the cats hyped up on the nip . . . .

Squii!

2007-12-02T23:10:00.000-03:00

I'm so excited -- I got a wii today! I've been playing the wii my family got my nephews for Christmas for weeks now. I couldn't get myself to put it away after I made sure it worked. Not only that, but I bought a game to play on there wii a week ago (Mario Galaxy, super fun). But now that I have a replacement, I can play the original guilt free . . .

So, I'm likely to not get any knitting done in the near future, until my wiicitement wears off. Luckily, I got my youngest nephew's kitten mittens done and delivered a few weeks ago. Nothing else that I'm working on has a deadline.

Why are plastic bags so interesting to cats???

2007-11-18T16:10:00.001-03:00

Every time I leave a bag unattended for 30 seconds one of the cats has to poke his/her head inside of it and then climb inside.

This usually means that the other cat must get involved, too. Course, he's a bit slow, and couldn't find the opening . . .

It made for some very sleepy cats once I could get close enough to the freaked out cat streaking through the house to remove the bag.

One more resolution under my belt

2007-09-18T19:39:00.000-03:00

I finished the Irish Hiking Scarf a few months ago, but forgot to post.

So, this means I've actually finished 5 of the 17 projects I set out to complete this year. Something tells me that I'm not going to finish the 11 remaining projects this year (unless I quite my job, which is appealing some days). Most of these projects will likely be 2008 resolutions.

I also whipped up a quick baby hat out of Wash Day Wool. It came out of the dryer incredibly soft.

I must get knitting on some of my projects. I'd like to get at least two more finished prior to 2008, as well as finishing Mystery Stole 3.

Guess I'd better stop browsing for new projects in ravelry.

Actual Crafting Content

2007-09-08T13:35:00.000-03:00

Summer continues to be a whirlwind of activity, but I have gotten a small amount of crafting done. I made these shoes for my knitting pal Paula and her husband, my co-worker Paul.

I also knit a baby hat, but I of course forgot to take a picture before the shower on Wednesday . . . it was the Simple Hat from Baby Knits for Beginners, by Debbie Bliss. I made some modifications, of course. I used Reynolds Wash Day Wool on size 4 needles -- which started up soft and came out of the dryer even softer. I adjusted the gauge and knit it in the round instead. I've knit so many last minute baby gifts from that book -- it continues to be a favorite for the timeless styling and quick projects.

I've also gotten into ravelry at long last - my user name is calamitylaura. This is the first weekend in a long while that I haven't had to work, so I'm trying to get set up. I imagine I'll be spending WAY to much time on ravelry for the next few months . . .

YIKES!

2007-07-31T22:01:00.000-03:00

I haven't updated the blog in 2 months. One might imagine that I've had lots of time to complete some projects in that time period, but sadly that is not the case! I have finally finished my Mom's shawl (and thanks to my Dad for taking a picture of it, as I forgot). It is the Flower Basket Shawl from Interweave Knits Fall 2004.

I joined Mystery Stole 3 in June, but even though I had the yarn and beads well before the first clue was revealed, I'm still only halfway through clue 1. Which leaves me 3.5 clues behind. I'm hoping to catch up this week - we shall see if that happens . . . .

Have I really only finished 4 projects this year? Or have I forogtten something?

Back from Italy

2007-05-29T21:02:00.000-03:00

And I may have brought back some yarn . . . .

7 balls of this isn't for me -- the brown alpaca hiding in the back. And I've already delivered a kilo of brown yarn to the same recipient. Note to self -- bring more than one space bag next time!

I've got a bunch of knitting to do!

Italian Getaway

2007-05-09T11:14:00.001-03:00

Well, I made it to Italy and have enjoyed the past 3 days very much. The trip over here was uneventful, and I managed to fit all of my clothing in 1 bag. Which is miraculous. I have my friend Sue to thank for this. She very kindly supplied the following packing list for thisn 17 day trip to ensure I packed lightly:

3 skirts
2 pants
5 shirts
2 shoes (wear 1, pack 1)
1 light sweaters (wear 1, pack 1)
1 wind/rain jacket4 socks (assuming 1 pair of shoes will be sandals)
1 PJs or clothes to lounge in the hotel room
5 sets underwear
1 hat/sunglasses/sunblock

She had clearly been drinking when she wrote the list. 2 pairs of shoes? For me? For 17 days. Please - I sometimes wear two different pairs of shoes at work on a given day.

And the underwear? How many time did she think I would be doing laundry? Seriously. This is too much information, I'm sure, but I'm a bit insane when packing, and I always pack twice the amount of underwear and socks that I need. I'm not quite sure why. Thankfully, I don't have a medical condition that would necessitate that amount of undergarment changes, but I've always done it. Even though I've never once been stranded and had to use them all.

Sue's meager list must have had an affect on me, as I did quite well packing for my trip. I didn't increase many of the items, and I really restrained myself in the underwear area.

3 skirts
1 dress
2 long pants
1 pair of jeans
2 capris
6 short sleeve shirts
2 long sleeve shirts
2 sweaters1 sweatshirt
2 sweaters
1 sweatshirt
1 windbreaker
6 pairs of socks
2 PJs
12 pair of underwear
1 bathing suit
1 cover up
1 pair of dress sandals
1 pair of walking sandals
1 pair of sneakers
1 pair of flip flops
1 hat/sunglasses/sunblock

There was even enough room left over for Kali to try to stow away.

She also lent me some very cool packing bags (these and these). I'd seen them at the best place in the world many time, but I never really thought they'd be useful. They have changed my life. I'll be putting these on my Christmas list next year.

The flight over here went much quicker than I expected, in large part due to the highly amusing set of drunken business men seated directly in front on me who attempted to turn the flight into a booze cruise. The flight attendants and I quite enjoyed laughing at them. I also taught my friend Patty how to knit. She caught on very quickly, and has been practicing at night after work all this week!

We are staying in a simply amazing place outside of Florence. The views from our apartment are absolutely amazing.

Also amazing was the amount of toilet paper stocked for our stay of a week . . .

I've posted some photos on flickr of the amazing library I'm visiting. Working here for a week is truly a pleasure!

Ciao!

Weekend Snoozing

2007-04-29T13:57:00.000-03:00

This is my last weekend before I leave for Italy, and I'm trying to get all the last minute errands and chores done, but I'm dying to take an avoidance nap, instead. Kali is encouraging lounging . . . . .

FO Glamour Shot

2007-04-24T22:01:00.000-03:00

Yet another benefit to finally having spring in New England is that the scarf dried out by the time I got home from work! Here is a picture taken in the fading sunset:

I'm so happy with this project turned out!

Finished!

2007-04-23T23:42:00.000-03:00

At long last, the Rippling Waters Scarf is finished. Well, it's blocking, but I'm FINALLY done knitting (and reknitting) it. And not a inch too soon -- there is not much yarn left!

I ended up with 3 more repeats than the pattern indicated. One of the benefits of having made it to almost the end (twice) is that I knew I had enough yarn to do more repeats of the pattern before starting the border. Of course, I double checked this by compulsively weighing the ball. I even brought my scale to my friend's house on Saturday for a day of knitting in the sunshine.

For those of you keeping track, I had to rip this back already one time after almost making it to the border due to the pull from hell. And just last week, I made it to the final border repeat before I found a dropped stitch on the previous row that was running a marathon all the way back to the beginning of the border.

Ah well, all I need to do now is wait for it to finish drying and give it to my friend!

I'm actually amazed that I found the time to finish this project. Clearly I haven't found the time to update this blog lately. Between work, planning a last minute trip to Italy, getting a concussion playing Tiddlywinks, refreshing my basic Italian, and all the other non-knitting parts of life, I really haven't had all that much free time.

Now on to a harder task - deciding which projects to take on my trip. So much to knit, so little room in my bags . . . especially as I'm leaving plenty of room to bring yarn home!

A bit of progress

2007-04-01T19:34:00.000-03:00

With all the family excitement for the past few weeks, I haven't had all that much time for knitting. I apologize for the awful quality of these pictures -- I'm never home when there is natural light to take knitting shots!

I've finished two full skeins on the Irish Hiking scarf, and am a fair way into the third.

Last winter, I started to design a sampler scarf for souvenir yarn I got in Greece two years ago. I was never happy with the results, and kept ripping it out. I eventually gave up and put the project bag away in the guestroom. I dragged it out again last week after I found the exact look I was going for in the Lion Brand newsletter. The pattern is called The Road Scarf. Beware when clicking the link - Lion Brand is now making you sign in before you can view any free patterns - what a pain.

I've also reworked a substantial portion of rippling waters. 10 repeats done, 3 to go, and then I'll be back to where I was before the rip back. It takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes for a repeat, so I've got at least 4 hours before the border, and I suspect then 4 hours for the border. I'd really like to get this done before May.

I knit this weekend watching Stranger than Fiction. What a great movie!

Welcome Brady!!

2007-03-18T19:01:00.000-03:00

My sister Christine gave birth to her third child on Saturday morning, and I am incredibly grateful that she invited me to be part of his arrival. I can't even find the words to accurately describe the experience -- it was amazing & extraordinary & repugnant & beautiful and so many other things all at the same time.

Brady Patrick greeted the world at 10:54, weighing 8 pounds and 9 ounces with a length of 22 inches.

His big brothers Colin and Jake were allowed to pick the middle name. They had previously chosen Matthew, but changed to Patrick in honor of the holiday. They were SUPER excited to finally meet Brady in person.

All involved are healthy and happy, if a bit tired!

Saved by yarn . . .

2007-03-04T15:19:00.001-03:00

I have a lead foot when driving. I've always had it -- perhaps it was spending my first few years driving in NC. I drove back and forth 40 miles a day to school my junior and senior years of high school on the longest, straightest highway known to man. It just begged for high speed driving, and with the enthusiasm of youth, I sped. I never got a ticket or even a warning in all that time, nor on the longer drives back and forth from Raleigh during college. This did nothing to discourage my speeding habit.

The one previous time I got pulled over was when I was driving up here one summer to live. I got pulled over doing about 80 on a stretch of 84 in CT. But that ticket never caught up with me, as this was before the electronic age. Nowadays, I have a feeling it would have shown up on my NC record, and then would have popped up again when I got my MA license.

I was car free for a long time after moving back to New England. But I've had a car for the past 2 years, with a little break after my car accident last February. And, I still find myself speeding on occasion, although I do try to not to exceed 10 miles over the speed limit, as I've at least matured enough to recognize both the dangers of excessive speed and the financial repercussions.

How is it, then, that I found myself being pulled over yesterday for doing, gulp, 82 in a 65? I was in fact rushing to pick my nephews up in N.H., but I really wasn't late enough to warrant that speed. Especially since I made it on time even with the time it took for the whole "pulled over" process and not exceeding 65 the rest of way.

When the officer got to the passenger window, I was still pulling out the registration. While we were having the "how fast do think you were going, where are you headed, etc" conversation, I pulled my wallet out of my bag on the passenger seat to get my license. The officer could see into my bag, and saw some lumpy ziplock bags. He immediately got suspicious and asked me to what was in the bags. I said yarn, to which he looked incredulous, and so I pulled one out to show him. He did a complete double take, and took my information back to his car to check me out.

Luckily, I came up clean, and he left me off with just a warning. I'm not sure if it was the ziplock bags of yarn, or if he was the same officer that was such an ass interrogating me while they were cutting me out of the car and attaching the back board last February, but either way I appreciate not getting a costly ticket.

This incident has served as a reminder of a few things:

I was incredibly lucky to walk away from the accident last year with only minor injuries.
I should be driving more cautiously because you can never tell when someone else will cause an issue you have to avoid, like the hood flying off the other woman's car.
That it's much better to be five minutes late that to get into an accident.

Lesson learned, driving gods.

Success!

2007-02-26T23:55:00.000-03:00

At long last, I've finally finished another project. I had "wristers for myself" as part of my 2007 resolutions. After reknitting the pair for my friend, I simply could not face doing them again. I also REALLY wanted to use the lovely Wildfoote sock yarn I got from my Secret Pal, Kate.

I decided to not adhere strictly to my resolutions, and make myself another pair of fingerless gloves instead of the writers. Enter the Delicato Mitts from KnitSpot. I saw these somewhere in blogland, and decided they were just what I needed. I highly recommend this pattern -- enough of a pattern to keep my interest, but easy enough to work on a knitting group.

I finished them last night, which was just in time to wear them while testing a new workflow at the chilly remote storage facility at work today. They were super warm, and yet I was still able to take notes!

If I can summon the strength tomorrow, I think I'm going to rip back Rippling Waters.

Continued Crafting Mishaps

2007-02-19T20:36:00.000-03:00

Well, the recent problems I've been having with knitting appear to extend to all craft endeavors, no matter how simple the task.

About a month ago, I brought a polymer clay bear kit to entertain my nephews on a cold Saturday afternoon. It was a hit for both the 6 and 8 year old. I brought the bears home to bake (my sister is a million months pregnant, and wasn't thrilled by the smell of Makit & Bakit sun catchers when she wasn't pregnant). The 6 year old didn't like this plan at all -- he was quite concerned that the bears would be harmed in transit. I assured him that the bears would be fine, and he helped me pack the bears VERY CAREFULLY in tupperware.

The bears sat on my counter in the intervening weeks, unbaked. My nephew asked about them each time he saw me, and I assured him I would bring them the next time I visited. I saw the bears on the counter this afternoon, and figured I'd pop them in the toaster oven. I seemed to remember that they should bake for 20 minutes at 325 on tinfoil in a metal pan, and I didn't check the instructions*. This was the first mistake -- it was supposed to be 275 in a glass baking dish for 45 minutes.

I compounded the error by leaving the kitchen and becoming absorbed in blogland. I'm pretty sure I was only away from the toaster oven for 20 minutes, but when I finally dragged myself into the smoke filled kitchen, the damage was done.

The boys had done a great job following the instructions, so the bears really resembled the bears pictured in the instructions (I of course have no before shots, since I wasn't planning on needing them):

Now, however, the bears resemble something out of a horror film:

I called and broke the news to my sister and brother in law. My brother wondered if paint would help. Doubtful, unless he has access to magic paint. I tried to get my sister to agree to break the news to the boys. She told me I was alone on this one. I'm hoping that they see the humor in this. Or think the decimated remains of the bears are cool (they are boys, after all).

Most of all, I'm hoping that this won't scar them for life. I can almost hear them in therapy years from now . . . "Well, it all started with this teddy bear I worked on for an entire afternoon. My auntie burnt it alive after promising to keep it safe, and I knew from that point on that I couldn't trust want people said" . . .

I'm also hoping that inhaling polymer clay smoke isn't lethal . . .

* I never read instructions, and never seem to learn from errors caused by not reading instructions. Sigh.

Have you seen my knitting mojo?

2007-02-12T22:35:00.000-03:00

I don't know why, but all my projects from the end of December through January turned into disasters. I'm not sure that I've got the mojo back yet, so I'm not going to talk about my current projects for fear of jinxing the limited progress I've made.

Example One - Wristers redone

The dreaded wristers I posted about awhile ago. No use revisiting them, but I thought that was a lone incident. I now realize that the problem was likely a gauge issue - the calorimetry, knit on one size smaller needles, is holding up just fine.

Example Two - Irish hiking scarf

The pattern and knitting have been uneventful, and I like the results. At least, I like the results on the front.

The yarn itself has decided to cause problems. The yarn is ill-named ("miracle" my #$*@^$). One half of the ply is spontaneously splitting every few rows. But, the split doesn't occur when the row is being work. Or on the next row. It appears later. Much later. Like inches later. Perhaps that is the miracle - spontaneous splitting?

Luckily, the split end seems to stay on the back. I'm just going to continue on with the knitting, as I can't bear the thought of ripping back and fixing these, only to have new ones appear. The scarf is for me. I had planned on making another in a contrasting color and joining them together to have doubly warm scarf, but I'm rather disappointed with the yarn, so I doubt I'll do it. Unless I can miraculously find a different yarn with the same gauge.

Example Three - Rippling waters scarf

This is the one that really hurts. I've been ever so depressed since the sad event unfolded. I am unable to even look at the project. It has lived in a Ziploc bag on my kitchen counter, taunting me with its mere presence. Clearly, I can ignore anything for a substantial amount of time, as sat on the counter for three weeks before I felt I could photograph the problem.

Let me set the stage. There I was three weeks ago, peacefully knitting at my sister's house while dog sitting. I had just finished the last partial repeat of the pattern, knit the garter stitch section that separates the lace body and border, and removed all the life lines (idiot that I am) from the lace body. I was reviewing the instructions for the border when the doorbell rang.

My dinner had arrived. The dogs (two little Shih Tzus) launched to the door and barked frantically. They have quite deep barks for dogs the size of squirrels. I felt a tug at my leg as I crossed the room and opened the door, but ignored it. I continued to ignore this pulling sensation while trying to not laugh as the big, burly delivery man tried to pretend he wasn't afraid of Finn and Madison. I ignored this pulling yet again after I shut the door behind the delivery man and walked into the kitchen.

After I put the food on the counter, I looked down and saw that I was dragging the scarf across the floor. I picked it up, filled with concern, but all looked well. It appeared that I hadn't caused any damage - no dropped stiches, no visible damage, just a bit of yarn unravelled from the ball, which was still on the couch, caught on my pattern binder.

After I enjoyed my dinner, I sat down to start the border. And saw this:

See the six inch pull near the bottom right hand side of the photo? (I've circled it in green - my pics are more dreadful than usual and I don't have it it me to retake them.) Awful, just awful. It is about two pattern repeats from the bottom of the scarf. I halfheartedly tried to re-arrange the pull across the entire row of knitting, but it seems like ripping back is the only option. I suspect the initial pull I felt when I answered the bell was the scarf sliding across the binder and getting caught. I have to admit, though, that I haven't had the heart to really assess the damage and any potential fixes. And after I took the photos tonight, I put the remains back in the Ziploc bag, and into a knitting bag. It will be a quite some time before I have the strength to rip out 11 pattern repeats. Sigh.

It started as a whisper

2007-01-24T21:27:00.000-03:00

But now is most definitely a shout. A shout so loud that I can hear it 3 towns away while dogsitting for my sister.

The Sea Silk is calling to me. Telling me I've lasted long enough with my knitting resolutions (24 days). Telling me to just cast on for a new project. Telling me just to wind the skein into a ball.

I will not weaken. I must not weaken. I will keep my resolutions.

The good news is that the Sea Silk's siren call is completely distracting me from the 25% sale going on at a local yarn store. So its mere presence is helping keep at least part of my resolution.

I'm now just hoping to make it through the month before caving . . . .

Completely Spoiled

2007-01-21T20:47:00.000-03:00

I have been quite spoiled by my Secret Pal, Kate. When I got home late last night, my gift was waiting for me. Surprise gifts are my favorite way to end a day (or to start, or as a break in the middle, really anytime at all)!

The package was full of brightly colored presents:

Baxter hoped the entire box of presents were for him. I did dutifully start with reading the card, but was instructed at the beginning of the card to go ahead with the unwrapping first! Kate seems like a bunch of fun to allow me to do things in reverse!

So many gifts, where should I start? With the yarn, I expect.

I finally own the yarn I've been coveting, Sea Silk. And, I think it was well worth the wait! The colors in this skein are so lovely. Each time I look at it I see something new! I cannot wait to start a project with it -- this is really a challenge to my resolution to finish the projects I've already started.

The next fabulous gift is 2 skeins of Wildfoote sock yarn. I've already started to look for a project for this yarn. I absolutely love the blends of purple tones.

Kate also makes jewelry, and made me a beautiful set of sterling silver and charoite stitch markers. Luckily, I won't have to wait until projects are finished to use them!

Also included was a super cute tin of Knitting Girls mints. I'll be bringing these into work to share with my knitting group!

Kate made a great shopping themed tote bag, which can be snapped and folded shut for storage. I love it so much that I doubt it will ever be stored for long.

And Baxter was correct, Kate didn't forget him or Kali. She also sent a kit to make some cat toys. These are so cute, and I know the cats will enjoy them. They are already enjoying the sound sound of the bells ringing when I shake the bag!

Thank, Kate, for being such a wonderful SP!

WARNING: Knitting Calamity Alert

2007-01-18T20:35:00.001-03:00

Remember these? The one Christmas Present I knit? The wristers?

I don't know what happened to them. They fit perfectly when I first gave them to my friend. But after she wore them for 5 days straight, they looked like Muppet hands:

Here they are in comparison to the pair I knit to replace them:

Crazy, eh? It has totally stumped my work knitting group, who witnessed them being created, tried them on, and then saw the aftermath.

I can't find any explanation for this. I knit them and washed them prior to giving them. After days of use, they were unrecognizable. They don't appear stretched out at all when you look at them. I would expect them to look really loose, but they don't.

For safety's sake, I took out 12 stitches when I redid them. They seem to be holding up just fine.

I also used the rest of the Malabrigo to make Calorimetry. I cast on 92 stitches, and used size 6 needles, but followed the rest of the pattern exactly. It seems to be holding up pretty well.

Kitties on Safari

2007-01-02T23:40:00.000-03:00

A co-worker lent me a video called Kitty Safari that her cat used to enjoy. I had my doubts that the cats would even notice, but they sure seemed to enjoy it . . . check this out:

Good Intentions

2007-01-01T18:15:00.000-03:00

I am going to post only two knitting resolutions for 2007, but I feel they are so broad in coverage that they count as much, much more. And may well be impossible to uphold, but I'm going to try. At least for January, that is.

Finish all currently started projects before starting any new projects.

I've though about it, and I get more pleasure from finishing projects than from starting them. Lately I have just started projects as soon as I have found a pattern/yarn I wanted to use. I'm a bit (or wildly) out of control. I always need to have one mindless project for commuting/knitting group, and a trickier challenge project for at home. So, I intend to finish all of the following projects in each category before starting anything new:

Tricky projects:

Ene's Scarf
Mom's secret shawl
Rippling Waters Scarf

Mindless knitting:

Braided Scarf
Calorimetry Head Wrap
Cinnabar Scarf
Daisies Shawl
Diamond Patch Mittens
Felted Criss-Cross bag
Irish Hiking Scarf
Monkey Socks
Not Cable Socks
Ripping out the scarf I started with the La Luz and figure out something better
River Rapids Socks
Sweet Mary Janes (two pairs started at once -- what was I thinking)
Wristers for myself

I'll likely be adding more projects to the above list as I find them abandoned around the house, but I don't want to get too overwhelmed. Ha, hello. Who am I kidding? 15 projects already on the needles. This may be an entire YEAR of knitting.

Not buy any new yarn (for myself, swap gifts not included) in New England (souvenir yarn bought outside of my normal location clearly does not count) until May 12th, 2007. Do a yarn inventory by May 1st, 2007 (and donate a great deal of yarn to charity). After that, try to only buy yarn with specific projects in mind, and not allow yarn stash to grow beyond the current yarn storage system.

I love to buy yarn, but I've got an insane amount at this point, and really need to get a handle on my stash.

Other non-knitting crafting resolutions include finishing the scrapbook I promised to a friend when her son was Christened (he's 2.5), finishing the scrapbook for my trip to Greece/Turkey (which was almost two years ago), finishing the applique quilt I started Fall 2005, and organizing all sewing and scrapbooking supplies.

Seems like 2007 is bound to be a year of finishing for me! Wish me luck in keeping all of these resolutions!

5/7 Ain't Bad, Baby

2006-12-27T22:32:00.000-03:00

I completed most of what I needed to by the end of last week, and had quite a relaxing holiday weekend with my family. The shopping and cleaning were done right on schedule. My cards went into the mail and ornaments were delivered on Thursday.

I brought the wristers in to work for my friend on Friday, who loved them, even if they were still a bit damp from the wool wash.

I haven't really made much project on either the Rippling Waters Scarf or the Braided Scarf. I'm hoping to finish at least one of the scarves by the end of the week since I have the rest of the week off from work. This will only happen if I can keep myself from casting on for the many new projects in the knitting books I got for Christmas that I'd like to start.

I also went to a LYS I'd never been to before to buy the final round of gifts for my SP. I'm so excited to put the package together. I hope she likes what I got her!

Baxter versus Lion

2006-12-18T19:29:00.000-03:00

I got my nieces dress up kits that look like animals for Christmas. I'm tempted not to give the lion one to Abby as planned, but instead keep it to torment Baxter:

I decided to take them out of the packaging, so that the girls could easily try them on during the present unwrapping extravaganza. Baxter was sleeping beside me on the floor yesterday during my wrapping marathon. When I took the lion head off of the cardboard backing, he totally FLIPPED. I wish I had caught his first reaction -- he hissed and jumped straight in the air, above my head. His tail was about the size of his body. It was great! Kali, of course, being intellectually superior, has not shown even remote interest in the lion head.

I am being quite mean, and have not wrapped the lion head. I've been enjoying his scared reaction to it all day. Here is the long version (note all the wrapping progress I made in the background):

Here is a version of just the hissing:

Enjoy! I am still laughing every time I watch it!

Christmas Craft Mania

2006-12-13T22:36:00.000-03:00

Why, oh why, do I always pack so much crafting (and shopping, cleaning, social events, etc) into the last few weeks before Christmas? Every year I swear I will be prepared early, but the next year rolls around, and there I am, cramming things into each and every minute in the two weeks leading up to the holidays.

For some insane reason, I make my own Christmas cards. This year, I bought the stamps, ink, and assorted other supplies in September. Every weekend since, I've felt guilty for not starting the cards. Clearly not guilty enough to start them, but a twinge here and there as I twittered precious time away. I finally started them this past weekend. I'm almost done with them, but haven't begun addressing them. Sigh.

I also give certain people handmade ornaments. And those people have come to expect them. I haven't started those at all, and I'm not sure what I am going to do. Woe is me.

On the knitting front, I'm clearly in trouble as well. I was planning on simply finishing this project (Rippling Waters Scarf) for a friend:

I've finished 6 of 12 repeats. If I had any self-control, I'd probably be done. But no, I had to cast on for Wristers last week after I saw the completed ones on All Tangled Up (for a friend who is always cold sitting at her computer at work):

One is done, and the second started, so if not for finishing the cards / ornaments / shopping / cleaning, I'd probably be OK. (They are so warm in cozy -- I'm so happy that I'll get a second pair for me from the Malabrigo for knitting on the bus now that it is frosty.)

So, all of this is going to postpone the limited progress I was making on the Braided Scarf from the holiday VK:

1 long, long, unbelievably long tube down, 4.8 to go . . .

I''m planning to forgo sleep this weekend and crank some stuff out!

PS - If I make it through this year, I'm going to start on next years Christmas prep in January. I mean it this time. My plan is now in writing on the web, so I'll have to follow through, right?

Floorcloth Fun

2006-12-05T22:53:00.000-03:00

I took a great class on making floorcloths using cloth at a local quilt shop a few weeks ago, and finally had a chance to put on the last few coats of acrylic gloss medium while home sick with an ear infection this weekend. After the antibiotics kicked in, that is.

I'm really happy with how it turned out (bad photo aside -- it's really hard to take a picture of a shiny object). It was only a 3 hour class. I really let loose and didn't agonize over symmetry on this project due to the time constrictions. I'll probably go back to my obsessive ways on my next attempt (a snowman theme for my sister). This one is destined for underneath Baxter and Kali's water bowls.

Nifty Gifties

2006-11-27T21:36:00.000-03:00

My first Secret Pal gift arrived, and, for you Office fans, don't let the post title fool you, I am quite happy with the contents (unlike the coupon and pencil filled bags on last week's episode).

I've seen many other blogs where the gift recipient has the self control to open the box, and take a picture of the wrapped contents, and then unwrap things, and take more pictures. That's not me. I'm more of an instant gratification kind of gal!

I barely made it upstairs to my apartment before diving in and opening the box. The items were "brown paper packages tied up with string", and indeed are a few of my favorite things. I had to laugh, SP, as my friend's little boy is obsessed with that song, so it has been on my mind (and in my ears) a lot lately.

Here is a shot of the booty:

Knitpicks laceweight yarn, and plenty of KoolAid for dying! The cutest little sheep soap, and a little elephant bag! The book is not technically a SP9 gift, but rather is a gift to be passed on after I read it (it had already been passed on to my SP).

There were also two toys for the cats, but I gave them to Kali and Bax right away, so no pics of those. They've already hidden the toys under something, and are both taking a nap -- perhaps action shots of them soon.

I'm going to resort to a trick my parents used when I was growing up. Every so often, they would "kidnap" my cabbage patch doll until I cleaned my room. In preparation for there impending holiday visit, I'm going to do the same with the yarn & KoolAid, in the hopes that I will organized the guestroom well in advance of their arrival. Time will only tell if this method works. If I'm honest, it didn't work all that well when I was growing up -- my idea of cleaning was mainly pushing stuff in the closet or under my bed.

Thanks so much, SP!

Rest in Peace, Indiana Jones III

2006-11-19T02:09:00.000-03:00

June 1991 – November 17, 2006

There is a bit of family-lore surrounding how Indy joined our family in the summer of 1991. The first is a desperate tale with an eventual happy ending. In this version, Dad awoke in the balmy North Carolina night to the sound of a car door slamming, and then heard a car speeding away. The next morning, a small, black shape hurtled out from under his car as he was leaving for work (nearly causing him to have a heart attack, as the summer had seen an increase in water moccasins on the property). Instead of a nasty snake bite, he was simply bathed in dog kisses from a tiny puppy.

The second tale is less glamorous, but more plausible. In this version, Dad and I picked the puppy out at the shelter and planted him in the garage overnight in the hopes that my mom would relent and allow me to have a dog. (Mom had vowed to never have another dog after she put the family dog to sleep in 1977.)

Dad and I still aren’t confirming either version, but the fact of the matter is that I awoke that morning, fell in love with the joyful, exuberant puppy, and began a hard-won campaign to keep the dog. Mom finally begrudgingly agreed, with two caveats – the dog would be named Kit (he had unbelievable sharp toenails) and the dog would sleep outside.

The name Kit didn’t last very long. A few weeks after the puppy’s arrival, my mom and I went on an extended visit to New England. My dad and the dog stayed at home. Dad re-watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and the dog had a new name that stuck. Kit never would have worked anyway, as Indy had more beauty than brains, and couldn’t differentiate between “Kit” and “sit” (not that he paid much attention to most human commands, but I digress). The sleep outside rule faded over the years, and Indiana spent much of his last few years sleeping at Mom’s feet.

Indiana was exactly what I needed that summer – a companion for a teenager still not sure of herself in a new environment. In the summer of 1990, my parents and I moved to eastern NC from NH. I was still working through the culture-shock of finding myself in a new, strange environment after attending nursery school and K – 8th grades with a small, unchanging group of friends. Indy supplied a much needed sense of home and routine in my new surroundings, as well as companionship and joy.

When I went away to college, Indiana stayed with my parents. He became Dad’s dog during those years, although I stole him back for summers at the beach (his favorite place). Indy remained in NC with Mom and Dad when I moved back to New England after college. Dad and Indy enjoyed a lovely retired lifestyle, complete with daily car rides, afternoon “resting your eyes” sessions, and walks to get the mail.

I’ve experienced grief and loss before, and have recently empathized with close friends when beloved pets have passed, but this is the first time I’ve had an animal of my own pass. I’ve always been surprised when devoted pet owners decide to not get another animal after a loss. Now, when the pain is still raw, I understand that outlook, and I dread the eventual day when I will experience this type of loss again for Kali and Baxter. As I sit and write this post tonight, I await the day when I can remember Mr. Jones fondly without tears.

Indiana, wherever you are, I hope you have finally outsmarted the squirrel at the end of your run and have caught up with the birds on the beach. I hope your food bowl overflows and that car rides are yours for the asking. You were loved, and will be missed.

The Scarf that Wasn't Meant to Be

2006-11-05T22:30:00.000-03:00

Occasionally while browsing the Internet, I'm inspired to try out new crafting techniques. Most of these times, I decide I can do the project without buying the recommended supplies, attending a class, or reading the directions. This, sadly, doesn't always, or even often, work out for me. Yet I don't tend to process that fact, and face the next inspiration with the same deluded enthusiasm.

Museum of Failed Crafts Exhibit A - The Free Lace Scarf

I saw this kit, and thought, well, I can put this stuff together myself. I somehow missed the word "adhesive" in all of the descriptions of the interfacing that I read. This, unfortunately, was one of the most important points about the interfacing.

So, I got myself a bunch of some other brand of water soluble interfacing at the local quilting store. And yes, I do mean a bunch (I had fantasies of make tons of these scarves for quick and easy Christmas presents). My first try failed, as the ribbon was slipping all over the interfacing. At this point, a sane person might have looked at the Internet kit again, and would have probably picked up on the word "adhesive". I, of course, just plowed ahead.

I did myself realize this would be a whole lot easier if the interfacing was a bit tacky. I forgot for a brief moment what "water soluble"meant, and hoped that a light mist would make it sticky, not dissolve. It didn't. The damn stuff completely dissolved all over my kitchen floor.

Not easily deterred even in the face of complete failure, I again went back to the fabric store and got another brand of water soluble interfacing. This kind was thicker. I lined up strips of the new, opaque interfacing, and layered the original, clear interfacing over it. I lightly misted the clear interfacing to make it sticky. I applied my ribbons, put yet another layer of interfacing over it, and sewed, sewed, sewed my grid. All appeared to finally be correct.

I finished all the seams and put the scarf in the sink to dissolve. And the bulk did dissolve. But try as I might, I could NOT get the last bit of opaque interfacing to dissolve. It seemed permanently embedded into the stitching. It resembled a fuzzy white caterpillar. And, the fuzz didn't want to come out of the stitches, no matter what I did.

My mom was visiting about a week later, and after breaking down into a hysterical laughing fit, she told me to throw it out and start again. I did, since it was clearly a lost cause.

In retrospect, I needed to not only use the right supplies, but to also put in more fiber.

I now have a spray solution that is supposed to make the clear interfacing sticky, but won't prevent the interfacing from dissolving. I haven't had the heart to try it again . . . . . maybe next summer I'll be up to the challenge.

The Baby Blanket From Hell

2006-10-29T15:20:00.000-03:00

I'm going to continue posting other 2006 finished objects to make up for the fact that I lately seem to only be casting on for every project under the sun, and never casting off. I've actually used up my stock of size 6 and size 4 needles . . . so now I will have to finish something or buy new needles. Or use bulkier yarn . . .

When I found out that my friend Sharon was expecting a baby, I knew I wanted to create something that would reflect the uber-geekdom the child was destined to fulfill. You see, both Sharon and her husband Keith are System Administrators. That poor child has no choice but to become a computer geek, at least on some level.

I had seen a crochet alphabet blanket, and had always had it in the back of my mind as a new baby project. I decided to swap out the traditional alphabet with 5 letter unix commands (gnome, mkdir, alias, truss, rsync, chown) .

I must have been in a state of utter denial when I graphed the blanket. I didn't blink an eye at the fact that the blanket was 140 mind numbing stitches across and 168 rows tall. Every wrong side row was single crochet. And every right side row was either single crochet or a cluster stitch for the pattern stitches. It was agonizing. It took 45 minutes per row, and the height only grew 1/4 inch for all that effort. Which is why I started it in June of 2005 and didn't finish until March of 2006. Months went by when I didn't work on it (I clearly can pretend that something doesn't exist if I'm no longer interested in it . . . )

But the end result was (eventually) worth it. The picture is dark, it is a lovely periwinkle color, but the words don't show up in full flash pictures.

23 Things You May Not Know About Me

2006-10-12T20:01:00.000-03:00

Alternate Title: Secret Pal 9 Swap Answers (Can you tell I'm a librarian?)

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

I love alpaca, cashmere, merino wool, silk. Basically, I love anything that is soft to the touch. I can't do angora, though, as it makes me itchy and twitchy.

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

I store my needles in hooks pretty much all over the place. I haven't yet found the perfect storage solution . . .

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

I learned to knit in highschool, but I became knitting obsessed about 8 years ago. I think I'm an intermediate knitter.

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

My amazon wish list is at http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html/ref=wlem-si-html_viewall/104-6783967-9595120?id=6D7NV22MRD2P

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

I love jasmine, lilac, vanilla, vertivert. I don't like anything with Patchouli Oil or musk scents.

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

I have several sweet teeth. I adore dark chocolate, caramel, toffee. I'm allergic to nuts, though, which eliminates a lot of chocolate for me.

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

I sew, scrapbook, quilt, crochet, & bead. I don't spin, but last weekend I was sorely tempted by a spindle and fiber at the yarn store. I felt to guilty with the number of projects I currently have, so I didn't give in the nearly overwhelming urge. Plus I wanted to get out of the yarn store before my 6 year old nephew decided to misbehave, so I left with just a pattern (diamond patch) and yarn (purple club) for mittens.

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

I like a wide variety of music, mostly everything except for country. "Recently Played" on my iPod right now are the Dixie Chicks (the one exception to the above rule), Animal Liberation Orchestra, Jack Johnson, Madonna, Ben Harper, Lenny Kravitz,

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

My favorite color is purple. I'm not really a fan of pastels, but I pretty much like everything else.

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

I'm single and a slave to two cats, Kali and Baxter.

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

I live in New England, so I definitely wear scarves, hats, and mittens. I'm not a big fan of ponchos, but often wear shawls at work as defense against the Arctic blast coming out of the ventilation system.

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

I've been going through a lace kick right now, but I'm not committed to any one type of item. I don't do much with color work -- I HATE to weave in ends.

13. What are you knitting right now?

A better question would be what am I NOT knitting right now. Since my knitting mojo has disappeared, I've been casting on projects like crazy. In the past two weeks I've started a pair of mittens, two scarves, two shawls, and a pair of socks. I'm having success with the scarf I started the day, but I don't want to say anything else and risk jinxing it!

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Handmade gifts are the best to receive.

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

I prefer circular needles. I bought some of the new knitpicks a la cart, and those are currently my favorites.

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

Yes, yes, yes. And I love them more than words can express.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Wow, that's a personal question. About 5 years old, but I don't look in those bags very often.

18. What is your favorite holiday?

Christmas! It is one of the few times my entire family gets together (my parents live in NC, my siblings are all in N.E.). And the presents, of course!

19. Is there anything that you collect?

I collect elephants of all sorts. Stuffed, ceramic, metal, drawings, stamps! If it has an elephant on it, it usually comes home with me!

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

I subscribe to pretty much all the mags. I've almost always got books listed on my Amazon list. I'll think on the yarns, needles, and patterns in start a wish list in my side bar (when I find the time to finish my blog, that is).

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

Is finishing projects in a timely manner a learnable technique? If so, sign me up!

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

Yes. I'm a size 7.5 to 8. I've never measured my foot, and who knows what the cats have done with all the tape measures.

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

12/8/1975

Burnt Out

2006-09-28T20:44:00.000-03:00

I'm not sure why, but I haven't felt like doing anything creative lately. And when I force myself, the results aren't good. Perhaps it is because I am exhausted from work issues and personal issues? Who knows.

To cheer myself up, I am going to revel in past victories.

This is my first finished object of 2006, and also my gold medal winning Knitting Olympics project:

T

Pattern - Crusoe from Knitty
Yarn - 2 Skeins KPPPM, Color 621?

These were a real knitting feat (pun intended), as this is the first time I have been able to force myself to overcome the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome. I gave the socks to my sister as a thank you gift for helping me when I was hospitalized for pneumonia -- I thought it was fitting since the KO occurred during that time!

WEBS

2006-09-25T20:32:00.000-03:00

I babysat for my friend a few weeks ago so she and her husband could attend a wedding in Amherst. On the way back, we stopped at Webs. I got a cone of the 2/14 Alpaca Silk to dye. It is extremely soft and has bit of a sheen from the silk content. I also got a cool little bag for storing accessories.

I'm not going to dye the yarn until I have an idea of what I'd like to do with it. I'm considering the following projects (after I finish the projects I'm currently working on, that is):

Perhaps the yarn is destined to become one of the above . . . .

BallaPalooza

2006-09-24T22:36:00.000-03:00

I'm still lucky! Not only was the lace swap package I received perfect, it seems that Mona received and enjoyed the package I sent to her. I'm so happy she liked everything!

I'm also lucky because the woman I work for is pretty cool. She gave me a surprise gift a few weeks ago - a yarn baller. Since then, I've been going through recent stash acquisitions. This is what I did this week alone!

My boss also gave me the antique swift in the picture above. I'm a little afraid to use it, so it may just server as a cool knitting room decoration for now. I'm not sure exactly how old it is, but this label is on the inside of the stand:

Thanks again, KA!

Yarn, yarn, yarn!

2006-09-05T22:22:00.000-03:00

I feel like the luckiest girl in the world! I had a really rough day a work, but I had a lovely package waiting for me when I got home. I love getting any sort of packages, but knowing yarn was inside made me run upstairs to my apartment.

It was my Lace Swap package from Yvonne! I can't help but to repeat what most of the other participants have said -- I can't believe that someone who doesn't know me could pick out such a perfect set of patterns and yarn. My package included yarn and patterns for TWO shawls.

I have Rowan Kidsilk Spray in a lovely mix of deep & light pinks tones to go with the Heirloom Knitting Daisies Shawl pattern. AND the Heirloom Knitting Angela Wrap pattern and Merino Lace yarn in a lovely deep periwinkle/purple. (Apologies for the quality of the picture -- it's late!) I haven't tried any of the Heirloom Knitting patterns (but I have admired them) or yarn. I also have never tried any Rowan yarn. I am very excited to try them all!

Clearly I have to abandon the Ene's Scarf project for a bit. My only dilemma is which project to start first!

Thanks so much Yvonne -- you really brightened my day!

I spoke too soon . . . .

2006-08-28T22:15:00.000-03:00

Well, I definitely jinxed myself when I predicted things would calm down after the weekend. With the year I've had, I should know better.

My bad CARMA has continued. My "new" used car was vandalized after I had it for only 11 days. Seems to be a case of local vandals - quite a few cars on my street had the "back glass" broken out. And to make matters worse, this happened overnight during a torrential downpour, so the total damage was $1800. Thank goodness for car insurance -- I only had to cover a $500 deductible.

If that excitement wasn't enough, the system upgrade over the weekend was a disaster. All is well now (mostly), but I didn't recover well from working till 2:00 am and then coming in for 7:00 am.

I did, however, find the time to finish two projects!

The first project was the "One-piece Baby Kimono" from Mason-Dixon knitting. I should confess, this was done WEEKS ago, but I hadn't yet sewn on the bow. I did get myself to the post office though, and it arrived safely in Canada late last week. I used 2 skeins of Cotton Twist and size 6 needles.

I also finished the "Shetland Triangle" shawl from Wrap Style. This was a great pattern, and was very easy to memorize. I used 6 skeins of Bollicina by Lane Borgoseia in color 9. I love this yarn, and will definitely use it again. I added 6 extra repeats of the main lace pattern. I blocked the shawl last night, and even though the scallops in the border are not as curvy as the photo in the pattern, I am quite happy.

Close up of the lace pattern:

I've already cast on for Ene's scarf from Scarf Style. I've been waiting a long time to find the right yarn for this -- I'm going to try Jade Sapphire in colorway Ruby Slippers. I'm probably going to leave that at work for knitting lunches. My Mom asked for a shawl after she saw me working on the Shetland Triangle. I have the yarn, but I can't decide on which pattern to use. I'm hoping to cast on for that soon, as well.

Well, I need to get to bed. Even after a weekend, I'm still not feeling rested from last Sunday. It's rough getting older!

No time lately for knitting . . . .

2006-08-18T22:48:00.000-03:00

I've had no real time lately for knitting or updating this blog. I've been working WAY to much -- but the end is in sight. Hopefully after this weekend I'll have more time to work on my current projects. And to get this blog into shape -- I have so many ideas I want to explore.

I did spend some time this past week getting everything together for the Lace Swap I joined. It was so much fun to shop for a knitter. I have a fairly large immediate family, and spend a lot of time shopping for gifts to give them (from myself and as a "personal shopper" for my mom and sister), but no one in the family knits. So, I rarely get an opportunity to shop for a fellow knitter. I hope my lace swap pal enjoys what I sent as much as I enjoyed sending it!

Keep your fingers crossed that I make it through the next 48 hours. Then perhaps I can finish the shawl I am working on (and am close to finishing). I only have 15 rows left before I can block it . . . . .

Pride Goeth Before a Fall

2006-08-09T22:02:00.000-03:00

To all who know and love me, don't worry - I didn't really fall.

I couldn't face balling the yarn I dyed by hand while simultaneously keeping Baxter from eating it (1.5 miles of yarn, to be exact), so I decided to drag it in to work on Tuesday and use the swift and ball winder at Woolcott. How is it that I've been knitting for 14 years and have never discovered the most brilliant invention in the world? I've heard about ball winders and swifts, but always felt they weren't necessary. I can't even begin to describe how wrong I was.

Look at these beautifully formed, center pull, yarn hockey pucks:

They are glorious, glorious. I can't stop picking them up and staring at them in wonder.

I was unsure about the results of the dye job, but everyone I showed at work (which was everyone who approached my desk, and some who I tracked down specifically for this purpose) seemed to honestly like the colors. It also helped that the folks at Woolcott were quite positive as well. So, all in all, this was an amazing confidence boost.

After work I went to get a pedicure. I pulled out the shawl I am currently knitting. Everyone in the shop kept asking to see the shawl & complimenting it. At this point, I should have begun to worry that something would soon go wrong. But no, I maintained my blissful ignorance, and even convinced two of the other customers to take knitting lessons (no, it's not hard. yes, it is very relaxing. oh yes, most yarn stores have classes. yarns are so lovely now. etc, etc).

I was feeling quite proud of myself (what with the successfully dyeing, ball winding, shawl knitting, and new knitter conversion). I should have just concentrated on what I was doing. All was fine until I got to the drying table. There I was, knitting while patiently waiting for my toenails to dry, when it happened.

It is quite understandable, really. It could happen to anyone, I swear. The local news magazine show Boston Chronicle came on the TV, and I got completely engrossed trying to decide if Tomb would be an age appropriate activity for my nephews. Suddenly, I came out of the TV induced coma and realized that everyone was staring at me. Not me precisely, but in my direction while they tried to locate the source of the acrid scent slowly filling the nail salon. Sadly, the fingering weight cashmere I was knitting with was lightweight enough to be sucked into the intake fan of the drying table. And boy, did it ever -- at least three feet got sucked in and snarled up. It was enough the make the fan stop moving, and the motor to start burning out (and smoking, hence the smell). Luckily, it didn't seem to cause permanent damage to the fan. I was able to get all the yarn out after I cut it free from my project.

Fear not, fellow knitters. I was at the end of the row, so what's two more ends to weave in? And I have plenty of extra yarn -- I'm almost to the border and I have another whole ball.

Ah well, just another day with slight mishaps. For anyone who discovered this blog and doesn't already know me, the name I chose for the blog may now start to make sense . . . .

Adventures in Dyeing, Part 2

2006-08-06T21:22:00.000-03:00

It appears that the second time is the charm!

I followed the same proceedure as outlined early, with a few exceptions. The yarn was the same, but in a color called Periwinkle, which was really a blah paster. I unwound the skein from the double wrap. I restrained myself and only used two dye colors - Violet and Delphinium Blue. I also tried to create longer areas of each color.

I am quite please with the results, and the change from the blah color:

to a more subtle variegated yarn than the previous attempt:

Next time I do this (and I'm already looking at the KnitPicks Natural yarns), I'm going to mix dye into solutions and use a syringe to inject it into areas in an attempt to make the colors blend more into eachother. I also think I will use far less dye that way!

Adventures in Dyeing, Part 1

2006-08-06T19:11:00.000-03:00

Well, I'm not entirely sure that my first dyeing experience was a brilliant success. I'm wavering between love and hate for the results. Here is a step by step of my experience trying to simulate handpainted yarns.

Step 1 - Prepare the yarn. I bought a skein of Skacel Merino Lace (100% Fine Merino Wool, 100 grams, 1375 yards, color 70, Ecru) on Friday at Woolcott's Anniversary Sale. When I took the wrapper off, I found the skein had been doubled over on itself. I kept it that way and tied some strings around it to keep it from getting too snarled. Your cats can be quite helpful during this process.

Step 2 - Soak the yarn. I soaked the yarn in glass bowl with 1 cup distilled white vinegar (the acid for this process) and room temperature water. I was surprise at how buoyant the wool was -- I kept trying to push it down, gave up, and simply flipped it after 15 minutes. I soaked for 30 minutes.

Step 3 - Drain the yarn. I removed the yarn from bowl and hung it over faucet handle to drain off some of the water.

Step 4 - Apply color. I set up a table with dying supplies (saran wrap, wooden popsicle sticks, rubber gloves, plethora of Wilton Icing Colors, and a Cast-On article "Dyeing with Wilton icing colors" (Winter 2002-2003). I suddenly realized this might make a bit of a mess, and remembered that I had plastic table cloth is guest room. I retrieved said cloth from guestroom (and let the cats into the room in the process). I decided to leave the cats in the normally off limit room to avoid the yarn drying out before cats could be forcibly removed.

Never believing that less can sometimes be more, I chose 5 colors to "handpaint" the yarn with - Violet, Willow Green, Rose Petal, Cornflower Blue, and Delphinium Blue. I applied the dye to the yarn by sticking a popsicle stick into the dye and rubbing it onto sections of the yarn. After the colors had been roughly (and generously) applied to each section, I massaged the yarn (read squeezed the life out of it) to distribute the color more evenly.

Step 5 - Prepare yarn for heat setting. I forgot to take a pre-picture with dye caps artfully arranged around the skein to try to remember pattern of dye application. I wrapped the yarn in two layers of in saran wrap and put in microwave for two minutes to heat set dye.

Step 6 - Allow yarn to return to room temperature. I removed the SCALDING HOT saran wrap package from microwave (you probably can't see the steam/condensation in the picture). I nearly passed out due to the "sheep in pasture during heatwave" fumes wafting from package. I stumbled over the cats (attracted from the glories of the guestroom by the eau de sheep scent) and placed it in bowl in sink to cool. I ran to close the guest room door. I left it wrapped in the saran wrap to allow it to cool slowly.

Step 7 - Decide to create blog. I signed up for blog account while yarn was cooling. I made very important decisions such as blog name, template style, etc. One would think I get enough computer time with work, apparently not.

Step 8 - Unwrap yarn and rinse. I unwrapped the yarn and filled the bowl with room temperature water. I swished around the yarn a bit and then drained the water from the bowl. I repeated this action, oh, 50 times before I was certain the water was clear. I then rinsed through with a bit of woollite to remove the vinegar scent.

Step 10 - Agonize over results. I again drained the yarn over the faucet and then rolled it gently in a towel to remove the bulk of the water. Sometimes when I look at the results, I'm happy, sometimes I think it is too busy and I don't like the red and almost black areas. I thought it would get lighter after rising, but it didn't seem too. It is still drying in the shower, but I don't think it will lighten up. Colors in picture are lighter than they appear in reality.

Blog Beginnings

2006-08-06T18:12:00.000-03:00

I decided to start this blog in a vain attempt to help me get organized with knitting projects. This is after I spent a good deal of time searching for a link I thought I had kept for detailed instructions on dying yarn with Wilton cake dies . . . . .

I am going to start this off with detailed instructions of what I did today to dye yarn -- I'm halfway through the dyeing process (the yarn is cooling now), so my next post may very end up being a cautionary tale.