DD in matching frou-frou hat and scarf set.

Frou-Frou Rainbow Sherbert Hat

Finished Object: DD's hat from Marnie Maclean's pattern here. It ate one skein of Noro Kureyon (Color 130), plus a bit of a second skein for the trim and flower. I made some modifications: cast on 94 stitches on size 8 circular needle to accomodate gauge and pattern, knit in the round instead of flat, and since I am crochet-challenged I knit the flower instead, using the Basic Five Petal Blossom from Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments (page 23). Thanks to Marnie for the pattern, and thanks again to my KR Secret Pal for the Noro. Speaking of thanks, I love Thanksgiving. Not just for the food, but for the extended knitting time--I already have a good start on a matching scarf for the frou-frou hat (pattern here. Thanks, Susan).

Hats in Progress

After finishing up a little something for my Knitters Review Secret Pal, I've got a couple of hats on the needles. The one on the right is a blissfully basic roll brim using some Morehouse Merino I got at NYS Sheep and Wool (click and enlarge to note the ridiculously adorable point protectors), the other uses the Noro I got a couple of packages ago from my own KR Secret Pal. I started out with Amy's pattern (see post below). Nice pattern, but after a false start I decided to let the yarn do the work instead and picked this less complex one from Marnie Maclean. OK, I confess, after I started the cable lace part of Amy's pattern I had one, maybe two (maybe three) glasses of wine. Friends don't let friends knit drunk.

Secret Pal Swag!

My Secret Pal is the best secret pal. I got two gorgeous balls of Gedifra Cicco yarn (I'm planning something cowl-ish), a Tahki pattern book and a bunch of knitknacks both practical and poofy--stitch holders, sock-shaped point protectors, split ring markers, a pom-pom maker (tee hee), plus a pair of Crystal palace bamboo circs. Plus, my secret pal is psychic and somehow knew that the zipper on my knitknack case broke and I needed a new one! If I wasn't already married (and if it was legal in New York) I'd ask my secret pal to marry me. Hey, maybe my secret pal's a he and we can get married!

French Market Gris-Gris Bag

unfelted and somewhat forlorn

full and frisky

John Kerry walks into a bar. Bartender says, "Hey, buddy, why the long face?" OK, back to all knitting all the time.

So, I finally got it together to take my $8.00 worth of quarters downstairs to the Big Machines in the Basement (as opposed to my economically correct but knitterly useless Malber front-loader) and felted the French Market Bag; it's not quite as ooh-la-la as I'd like but still pretty cool.

Warning: More Political Content (and Crosstitch)

So, maybe I should have been more specific in my pre-election post. I cribbed this from the blog at Craftster because it says it all. And if I could have knit it, dear reader, I would have.

Warning: Political Content

And so should you. Please.

Amy Rocks

So now that I've finished the Very Warm Hat for DH, DD has been bugging me for a more complex design: "I want a skull cap but I want it to be lacy and it has to be, like, warm. Oh, and pink." Amy's pattern (second from the top) plus the Noro my KR Secret Pal sent me (see below)equals success! Life is good (and Amy rocks).

Two, Two, Two Hats in One!

full hat

gray hat

black hat
So, I'm pretty pleased with my version of EZ's Very Warm Hat. A most adaptable pattern...make one basic stocking cap in the yarn of your choice, throwing in stripes, motifs, mosaics, whatever--then pick up around the base of the first hat (you could use any provisional cast-on, but EZ suggests picking up in the purl bumps behind a long-tail cast-on--ez as pie) and do it again. First hat fits inside second hat and you have two, two, two hats in one! Thanks as always, Elizabeth Zimmermann (pattern in Knitting Around)

Look what I got...

A gift from my secret pal! Nearly three skeins of passionately pink and purple Noro Kureyon; my pal suggests a scarf but must instinctively know that my darling daughter has been bugging me for a hat and lord knows it must be pink. Thanks, pal!!

A Very Warm Hat in progress...

Elizabeth Zimmermann was a genius. In Knitting Around, she presents a pattern for a "Very Warm Hat"--you make one hat, flip it over, pick up stitches around the rim, and do it all over again, ending up with two reversible layers of very warm hat. Like I said, genius.

Knit-Out 2004

Just got back from volunteering at the Knit-Out in Union Square; it was most inspiring. I've been in a knitting slump, hence the lack of posts--not a slump really, just getting my rhythm back in the wake of a new job after the luxury of time for knitting during the summer. The Knit-Out was packed; tons of people of all shapes and persuasions waiting for instruction. I taught three people to knit in the space of an hour, and I feel great about that.

Later that night...

I have reached the top of the French Market Bag. I have kitchenered the handles. All that's left is loose ends and felting. This bag has lived with me since July 27. I am the slowest knitter in the world. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why I will never willingly enter a knitalong.

Fear of Blogging

I haven't posted for too long. New job madness has something to do with it, have had less time to knit, but to be honest it's mostly Fear of Blogging. I have, however, resolved that technophobia will not get the best of me. Still slogging my way to the top of The Bag That Never Ends, also have a pair of mittens on the needles for quicker gratification. And newly inspired by the fact that next week I'll have a Knitters Review Secret Pal! Looking forward to giving and receiving...

Dickensian Work Gloves Based on another project from Weekend Knits. My office was so cold last winter I could see my breath; everytime I wore these I felt like a Victorian orphan in the workhouse, hence the name. Speaking of workers, to commemorate the departure of the Republican convention and in honor of knitting anarchists everywhere, I present the following, courtesy of Chumbawamba.

This is the bag that never ends...

nascent french market On the needles now. Speaking of subdued, it's hard to believe that this bucket of mud will ever turn into something resembling this. Acres and acres of stockinette--I am convinced that knitting demons are frogging my work in the middle of the night. Will I ever reach the top? Stay tuned.

Booga Bag

Booga Bag Another summer vacation project. I find myself alarmingly susceptible to knitting trends (must. resist. poncho.) although I'm generally a year late and several stitches short of everyone else. This is definitely a fad worth following--great pattern, free here (thanks, Julie). Lots of knitting lessons in a small package and helped me overcome my Fear of Felting. I used the recommended Noro Kureyon, a wonderful page-turner of a yarn (will I get to that red stripe before I reach the top?); next time I'll try to break out of my subdued-tones straightjacket.

Washcloths in Bloom

The major theme for the summer turned out to be a set of reverse-bloom flower petal washcloths from Melanie Falick's Weekend Knitting (great book; I've done several projects from it and lust for the rest). I always had one of these on the needles to alternate with another project. Since my bleeding fingers brand me as somewhat of a blooming washcloth expert, here are a few tips for those contemplating the knitting:

• Treat yourself and use the recommended yarn, Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille. Truly lush stuff; great colors which my sub-artist digital camera skills don't do justice. Crystal Palace doesn't name their colors, so I did it myself: clockwise from the top: lime sherbert, spinach linguine, martini olive, beachglass and grape juice (in the works). Beachglass aside, do we sense a theme of what else I did on my summer vacation?
• Great yarn, but somewhat of a pain to work--zero elasticity. You have to go slow and pull tight to stay even and avoid loopy lumps, especially on the decreases. Also, don't stress about the twisting, it just adds to the nubby texture of the final product.
• Watch out on Round 16--the decrease rate changes rather abruptly.
• You will be initially disappointed in your finished product--it will resemble a washed-up jellyfish with curls and lumps and loose ends. Just darn in the appendages, saturate the sucker, pat it out flat on a towel and let it dry overnight. It will be perfect, just...perfect.
  

not me, not even close.

How I spent my summer vacation...

Knitting. Well, I did some other stuff, but knitting seems to be what mattered most so I decided to jump on the blog train. More posts, pictures and nonsense when I figure out how to work this thang.