PICTURES!!!!!!!

Yarn from my secret pal:


An organised knitter:


A swatch (as yet unwashed and unblocked) for the Asymmetrical Cardigan from Knitting Nature, in Karabella Aurora Bulky, color #22:


And a couple of pentagons from the Swirled Pentagon Pullover. I am not, however, making the pullover. Just the pentagons, which I will seam together (I am too unskilled at picking up stitches - it always looks terrible when I try) into a dodecahedral hat. Yeah, I know, I'm a huge geek.

Thank you, Secret Pal!

My first package from my SP8 arrived yesterday! It was exactly what I needed - a needle case for my Addis, which up until yesterday I was (no joke) keeping in a Gristede's bag. Plus a set of needle tags, so I can stop trying all my needles in my needle sizer every time I start a project. And the kicker - two skeins of Noro Silk Garden in a beautiful blues-and-neutrals colorway. I spent the Wibbles's entire nap time yesterday tagging my needles and putting them in the case.

The reason I haven't posted pictures of ANYTHING lately was originally laziness (I'm thinking of changing my name to ProcrastiKnitter), but has turned into something worse - the cable for my digital camera has disappeared on me! V. and I have torn the place apart on 3 separate occasions looking for it. We've finally decided to give up and buy a new one this weekend. So there will be pics soon!

Poo.

I grafted the live end of the Koigu capelet to the CO end, but my tension was all uneven and I hate it. So this morning, I ripped it out. If I'm not too tired I'll regraft tonight after the Wibbles falls asleep.

Also, I don't like how the new cloche is coming out in the Lamb's Pride Worsted. I'm just going to go back to Koigu, with size 8 needles. I'm not going to rip out the original hat, though. I think it will be good to compare the two of them.

And now for the good news.... I ordered Knitting Nature! I was browsing the knitting books at Borders on my lunch break last week and could not resist! It's funny that Norah Gaughan is a biologist - if I had not known that, I would have guessed from the book that she was a mathematician. I also bought Rowan Vintage Knits. I think my no-sweater streak is about to be broken!

Yarnaholic

I went to the LYS on my lunch break today. I got two skeins of Lamb's Pride Worsted (which I've never used before!) in dark charcoal, two skeins of Noro Cash Iroha in a light beige, and a skein of Plymouth Galway. I also got some for-now-nameless yarn in my SP8 spoilee's favorite color. I will probably end up making her a hat - she lives in my climate, so I know she'll get some use out of it. I was originally thinking of a scarf, but the SP exchange has a $60 limit and I don't want to spend it all on yarn.

I have made no progress at all on the Noro shrug. I'm wavering on whether or not to rip out the edging I've done, and I can't go any further until I decide. I am almost finished with the knitting part of the Koigu capelet. I'll have to save the finishing for this weekend, when The Wibbles will most likely spend one night over at his grandparents' house. Knitwise, having a kid is worse than having a cat.

I also finished the hat I started last week. I love the pattern, but unfortunately I don't love the actual hat. I used doubled Koigu, and somehow it just doesn't feel right when it's on - it's too floppy, or something. I probably should have used a size 8 needle instead of a 9. I'm trying again with the Lamb's pride and size 8's. If I still don't like it, I'll try Karabella Margrite Bulky and size 10's. I want to get it perfect, because I'm thinking of submitting it for publication. And since it's a very '20's, flapper-style cloche, I'll be naming it after the Glaistig. If that's OK with her.

Future Projects

I'm so glad that joining SP8 has gotten me into the habit of posting again. Procrastinator that I am, I have not yet taken progress photos of my WIP's. And the progress on large items is not so fun to write about. Ooh, look - it's a slightly larger rectangle than it was last week! So I've been thinking about what else I'm going to knit this year.

First of all, I will knit many hats. I would like to get my hat business off the ground this year. And by "business" I mean a website where you can see photos of the hats, and order either the pattern (probably free) or the hat itself (not free). I don't plan to advertise at all, so it probably won't amount to anything. But it will make me happy just to know that the website is there. I've got about thirty hats designed, some of which I've knit up already, a few of which I've actually knit in the yarn in which I plan to offer them, and the remainder of which are still just in my head. I figure about half of those will actually work out, so I'll end up with about 18 hats total. I need to knit these, and photograph them, in the yarn in which I plan to offer them. So far I'm done with 4, and have another in progress (yes, another WIP - I started it yesterday).

Then there's my cartridge rib tank idea. I promised my mother-in-law a shawl, so there's that. I also have an idea for a cabled sweater knit in a bunch of pieces and sewn together - I will definitely try this one out in the fall; more details if it actually works out. And a scarf for my dad.

Finally, I intend to make something for my secret pal, unless she answers in her questionnaire that she does not like receiving handmade gifts (somehow I find this extremely unlikely). I have no idea at all what I'm going to make, since I don't know who my pal is yet. I will probably post photos of that WIP here, since I won't be sending it to my pal until the end of this exchange, when we reveal our identities. There's a ton of NYC participants, so my postmark can't possibly give me away.

I made an Amazon wishlist for SP8...

.... and here it is.

Big Projects

I made quite a bit of progress on the Noro shrug and Koigu capelet this weekend. Not that you can tell, since the projects (especially the capelet) are so big. With the amount of knitting I got done, I probably could have made about 5 hats. Seriously.

There has also been some designing. The Koigu capelet is basically a big rectangle of cartridge belt ribbing - the coolness is definitely not in the knitting for this one, it's in the finishing - and I've been inspired to do a tank top in the same yarn and stitch. The stitch pattern has so much horizontal stretchability - significantly more than regular ribbing - and I figure I could just cast on half the number of stitches that would fit UNSTRETCHED around my waist with no ease whatsoever, and knit a plain rectangle in cartridge belt rib. Knit another one just like it, join at sides and top (leaving openings for arms and head, of course) and I would have the perfect top for hourglass-shaped chicks like me. The stretch will be enough to cover my chest and hips, and the thing will look like it has shaping even though it doesn't. Plus this stitch has the whole vertical lines thing going for it. The only thing I'm not sure about is how the shoulders will end up. If the armhole "straps" are narrower than my shoulders, that's fine. If they're so wide that they make a mini cap sleeve, that's also fine. What I'm scared of is that they'll be exactly as wide as my shoulders, giving it a muscle shirt look. That would be very, very bad.

If I ever finish my current WIP's, this will be the next thing I try, and I'll post the exact pattern here if the sleeve thing works out. Also, I will post progress photos of the WIP's this week. Promise. Really.

SP8 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I am currently having a love affair with Japanese yarn, especially Noro (Iro and Silk Garden) and Diakeito (Diamusee and Diagrovefine). I also love Koigu, Reynolds Odyssey, Classic Elite Bazic, Rowan Cashsoft and Manos del Uruguay. I dislike acrylic, "fun fur" and novelty yarns. I also don't like knitting with cotton, although I do like to wear cotton garments. Same goes for alpaca (am I the only person on earth who doesn't like knitting with alpaca?). I am unfortunately allergic to angora.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
(Hiding in embarrassment) A plastic bag. From the supermarket.

3. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I've been knitting for a little over a year. I would consider myself an intermediate knitter. I can knit in the round, and do kitchener stitch, and stuff like that. I knit texture very well, but when I have to knit large areas of plain stockinette or garter stitch, my knitting can get uneven. I haven't tried my hand at lace yet.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
I like white florals, especially jasmine. To get an idea of my general fragrance preferences, I really like Thymes Filigree, Lancome Tresor, and Diptyque Figuier.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
Definitely a sweet tooth. For the most part, I prefer plain dark chocolate to any type of candy, but I do get occasional cravings for Twizzlers and/or M&M's.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
No other crafty hobbies here.

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 classic rock and 80's prog rock. No, my stereo can't play MP3s.

9. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer? Any colors you just can't stand?
My favorite color family is the mossy green range. I also love dark, rich reds and vermilions. Also greys of any shade. Beiges/camels/browns are OK. Blue is OK. I don't like yellow, or yellowy greens or oranges. I don't like purple by itself, but I love lilacs and plums in combination with mossy greens, browns or greys. I am also not much of a pink person.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
No pets. One 22-month old son.

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

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Hats. No contest.

13. What are you knitting right now?
A shrug in Noro Silk Garden, and a capelet in Koigu.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
Are there people who don't? Really?

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I'm a total Addi Turbo snob. They're all I use.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
No, but I've been thinking about getting one. Soon, before my husband kills me (he's my official detangler, and somehow I always get into trouble).

17. How did you learn to knit?
I taught myself from books and the Internet.

18. How old is your oldest UFO?
I have two sleeves of a sweater I started for my son right after I learned to knit. I'm never going to finish it. He's already too big.

19. What is your favorite holiday?
Mother's Day.

20. Is there anything that you collect?
Teapots and nesting dolls.

21. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I subscribe to Vogue Knitting. I'm not sure why I haven't subscribed to Interweave Knits, since I've bought every issue since I started knitting, plus I ordered some of their back issues. As for books, I've been ogling Wrap Style, Great Knitted Gifts (the Shackletons), Knitting Rules (McPhee) and One Skein (Radford). I have "Naturally Noro" but I would love to get my hands on any other Noro pattern books. Two yarns I've been dying to try out are Karabella Margrite Bulky and Artyarns Ultramerino 8. Also Koigu Kersti - the KPPPM is so easy to find, but I can never find Kersti.

22. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
I am in dire need of a class in finishing techniques. I have books, but somehow they're not the same. I would also like to try my hand at Fair Isle knitting. I'm obsessed with the short-row Fair Isle pullover in Loop-d-loop.

23. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Not a sock knitter - I have no patience for fine gauge. My feet are size 7 1/2 B.

24. When is your birthday? (mm/dd)
10/30.

Well, it's been a while.....

But I'm still around! I took a very long knitting break, and then just got out of the habit of posting...

But I'll definitely be posting at least once a week, at least for the next few months, because I joined SP8! This will be my first SP exchange; I bet it'll be loads of fun.

Also, my knitting break is over. I have 2 WIP's and some knitting done for an idea which I submitted to Spun Magazine. I haven't heard back from them yet. I wonder what the decent interval to wait is, before I just post about my idea here or maybe submit it elsewhere. The WIP's are a no-sew shrug (an idea I had and am just winging it, hopefully it will be wearable) in Noro Silk Garden, and a crossover capelet (another winging-it idea) in Koigu. I'll try to post progress photos later this week.

I'm a little depressed about the Koigu. The color looked so pretty in the picture (I ordered it online), but I don't like it as much in person. It's a lot darker than I thought it would be, and it's even darker knit up than it is in the hank.