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.