More to buy

Debbie Bliss now has her own knitting magazine. I saw it tonight when I ran into JoAnn Fabrics for Xmas decorating supplies. Published by the nice people who publish Vogue Knitting. As if I don't have enough magazines piling up with yet more projects to get to...

Frogging

Yeah, it was one of those experiences. I started a project for myself. I had about 30 rows done, had felt confident and toted it to work, but lost count. Frogged multiple times after deciding I wanted it bigger, and I didn't like my original cast on rows, etc. So after about 4 to 6 ripping sessions, I've now got about 40 rows done. I've started the buttonhole scarf (#37) from the Fall 2008 issue of Vogue Knitting. However, I've made some modifications. I don't really want an extra-wide scarf, and so I've slightly narrowed it. I have 4 rows of garter stitch, and I've got a 4 garter stitch repeat on each edge surrounding the basket weave buttonhole pattern. I'm using the Knit Picks Mainline yarn, which is 75% cotton/25% merino wool. Black, as it's for work. I like the blend, as it will be warm without being itchy wrapped around my frozen neck. It tends to get down to the low 30's/high 20's winter nights out there. Not looking forward to it, but it gives me incentive to knit faster I suppose.

Seeing Tara's dilemma with Xmas knitting, I totally understand. I want to get one more quick project knocked out for gifting, but have determined I'll have to start really early if I want to get more handmade projects done in time for Holiday 2009...

More for the stash

I finally got my Knit Picks box today. The yarn and Guy Knits book arrived to my delight. Pics posted on my Ravelry stash page, here. I started working on a sweater that's been hibernating for close to 2 years now. It will be a good Yule present. Forgot that the back is already done. I've got maybe two inches to go before I can start shaping the front neckline, then all I need are the sleeves and the hood. If I stay this sick, I could probably get it done soon as I can't do much of anything other than sit...

Practice

Nature has forced me to slow down - I'm sick again. However, sitting in one position is quite good for knitting, so I've remembered how to make nice, even cables and got to practice a lace pattern that I'm wanting to try out on my next KnitPicks shipment.

Also came up with an idea for a knitting needle holder. I'll have to play with my fabric stash and decide if I want it padded or not. It's not exactly revolutionary; I just want one in fabrics I like rather than something ready made that isn't made of very nice materials. Who knows - might be a craft fair item in the future.

Progress?

Finally picked up some needles again after what seems like a long, long time. I frogged the orange scarf from the Sunrise/Sunset KAL at Immy, and have restarted it as a drop stitch scarf. I'm using #15 needles, 7 stitches, two rows of garter stitch and one row of dropped stitch. I've alternated between two wraps and three wraps. It's been working up quickly between trick or treaters - I've got over three feet knit already. I think that this is going to be part of my Xmas present stash.

I ordered the Wine Country colored Lace Sampler, along with a wool/cotton blend for a work scarf from Knit Picks. Fingers crossed rl doesn't interfere with my output again...

Not knitting...

While running errands, I was able to find a couple of yummy fabrics to get the projects started for our Jane Austen evening outfits. I found a beautiful white shirting cotton with a tiny diamond pattern woven in for John's shirt that will be the bottom layer of his dragoon/formal evening ensemble. I found a beautiful pink fabric that has a striped lattice pattern woven in white for my Regency dress. I'm going to flatline it in white muslin. Will post photos when I have a spare moment to actually take them. More than ever, I feel the need to be doing something, and truth be told, I haven't lifted my needles for a couple of weeks, despite having the intent to do so. I want to find a white denim or other white twill for an 1820's corset. I'll be doing some modifications to make it Regency proper, but I just feel the need for the proper underpinnings for this dress. It's the long-sleeved Sense and Sensibility drawstring dress. I'd been planning on a turkey red or indigo; however, considering how r/l demands have been changing, I want a dress in a pale enough color that I could use it as a ball dress in a pinch.

eep...the finished watch cap, in case anyone was interested ;p

Done

The watchcap is complete. I finished it up while doing laundry. Nothing to it, and I think I will use a bulky, rather than a super bulky weight, yarn when I make multiples for Xmas presents. I think I put maybe six hours total into it. This time around I used circular needles; I can't find my #13 straights. Not sure where they are - although I have a feeling they may be with my art supplies. I seem to remember wanting to use one of them to poke a tube of paint or texture or something.

Once I get my checkbook balanced, I'm going to order the wine colors set of KnitPicks lace sampler. I really love the hand. I'm also going to compare prices on bulky yarns - I got a Lion catalog in the mail, but I honestly don't like so much synthetic content. It you're going to go to all the trouble to make something by hand, shouldn't it be good stuff?

Which is why I feel somewhat guilty about the squares I'm making for the RMBR project, but I had the yarn in my stash, so I didn't want it to go to waste.

Beaucoup de tricot

I seemed to get a lot done today. Got a big bundle into a ball and started the watchcap that I've been wanting as presents. This one's going to Ky, since he got me time off from work. It will be done by Saturday when I go back. Extra bulky yarn, size 13 needles? Yeah - it goes really fast.



Got some more squares done - will post on Ravelry. At least I feel accomplished. I probably spent a good 10 hours knitting today...

More yarn, please

I want the Meadow colors yarn sampler from KnitPicks, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to figure out socks. And $49 for yarn, when I haven't worked in almost a month...not good. Oh well..

Of course, after having posted that I did put the Wine colored lace weight sampler on hold (it's available the 10th). I want more good yarn... I just like the colors - they make me want to make things...

Stitch markers - yay!

I received my Hogwarts stitchmarkers from the Yarnola chat today. They are darling! I'm thrilled - too bad I'm not working on anything that needs stitchmarkers at the moment, I'm dying to try them out. I think someone should come up with a second set. There's already the rat, as well as Trevor and McGonagall. They need Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs as well. I dunno - if you're going for weird stuff (the Dark Mark?), there could always be a dementor or Buckbeak...

I'm staring at the same four squares for the RMBR project. I have been really bad the past two days, with the amount of time I've been spending online. Someone on the Lost and Found group had the watch cap pattern I was looking for, so there are my guy's Yule-time presents. It's a really simple 5 stitch rib watch cap in super bulky yarn that was published in Real Simple magazine. I made one and promptly lost the pattern. It only took 8 hours to knit the entire cap and stitch up the side - how fast is that? I love it. So I have some future projects planned, as well as a hoodie that I started for Mr. Soli, which is currently sitting in a tote bag in the studio. I wonder if I should bother with the effort, as he doesn't seem to wear the sewn clothes I've already made for him *grrr*

I've been looking at online photos from DragonCon (aside from the ones of HottSirius and HottLupin), and checking out the costumes, trying to get inspired. It's sort of cool that people do make line for line copies of the movie costumes, but I think if I were going to go as a Hogwarts teacher, I'd want to put my own spin on it, rather than being a slave to the film version. Having said that, I found some high resolution pics of Helena Bonham Carter's sexy Ministry outfit, and I'm thinking it might be possible to do a good copy. I thought that the dress/bodice was a knit, and it looks like it's some sort of woven, almost like a flatlined burlap. Some of the swirl elements are stenciled on, and the prominent ones seem to be couched with silver thread over a silver cord, so there's a lot of dimension. The corset belt looks like the biggest pain, as it's leather, and there doesn't appear to be a busk in the center front. I can't tell what the lacing is like on the back of the costume. The lacing for the sleeves appears to be leather cord, the same as in the belt lacing. It could get a wee bit expensive. I'm guessing she's wearing Peter Fox shoes, which run about $300 a pop, but they're pretty authentic for a Victorian look. I wonder if I could pull that one off. I'd have to lose another 20 pounds before I'd feel comfortable wearing it, but I also happen to own a Phantom-type wig like all the girls wore, with cascades of curls down to my butt. I bought it in Hollywood - where else?

Hmmm...inspiration may be striking after all.

One more blog

So I suppose the question would be, why another blog when I've already got an established one for my daily life? The answer would be that I want something dedicated to my craft, my sewing, knitting, paper arts, etc. The things that make me happy. The things that remove me from domesticity and my "real" job.

I'm not going to use this page to talk about family or any of those other things. This will be strictly creative. I dedicate it to my patron, Athena Ergane - Athena the worker woman. She was the patroness of weaving and other crafts in the Greek world, and I can think of no better patron that a Goddess known for craft, wisdom, and cunning. After all, it does require some canniness to solve problems that come up when trying to make a two-dimensional material form a three dimensional object.

Herewith begins the journey of a thousand and one stitches...