Jon's Knit Blog

Not Another Sleeve!

So this is what I decided to play with today. I'm ideally going to have this sweater done by October 15, which is the recipient's birthday. So I have time, but I still want to get done soon-ish, especially given everything else I'm working on right now. And everything I have "on deck."

The hardest thing about this sleeve wasn't knitting it. It was figuring it out, especially since it's a home-made pattern. The nice woman at the LYS "helped" me figure it out when I bought the yarn. Some help she was. Her cuff was 96 stitches, which would have been around 11 1/2 inches -- WAY too big. So I cut it down to 62 stitches. After two inches of ribbing on US6's, I was ready for the US8's, same as the main body. Difference between the back of the sweater and the sleeve? No increases in the back. Lots of increases in the sleeves. One every other row, to be precise.

Only I had never done increases in a 2x2 rib-based pattern before. So I had to do some playing. And I made a swatch, just to see how the increases would best work. I decided before swatching that I wanted to increase on the WS so that I could increase into the knit stitches rather than purl. It just made more sense... I'm leaving two knit stitches on each side so I can mattress stitch it together when I'm done, and then I wanted the increase to be there in the purl. So it just made sense: increase each side every WS row.

The question then became which increase to use. I tried a M1 increase first (lift the strand between the stitches in the row below and knit into it). The big Vogue Knitting book says this is a "nearly invisible" increase. Not when I knit it! It gets very holey (Maybe I wasn't twisting the stitch properly?). So I tried a bar increase (K1, K1B into the same stitch) and that looked a lot better, so I kept it up, and then just added knit stitches into the bunch when there were enough purl stitches to still maintain the rib.

And I think it looks pretty good so far:

OK, 124 rows to go... and at least there's no cap shaping for me to have to frog...

If I had a cat, I'd insert a photo of him or her at this point. I will tell you that my sister has a cat named Maggie. Apparantly after Maggie Simpson. Me, if I had a cat named Maggie, she'd have been named for Maggie the Cat, of Tennessee Williams' fame. However, if I actually did have a cat, he (or she) would probably have a Shakespearean name. When my parents got a brother and sister cat, I suggested "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern" but was shot down in favor of "Bialystock and Bloom". If I had a cat? Ophelia, perhaps. Or maybe Iago. That'd be fun... a lithe, secretive black cat named Iago. Damn allergies! At least I'm not allergic to wool. I think I might be allergic to mohair, though. That's one reason we haven't seen the BGWA much lately.

Welcome to Sleeveland. Population 1.

And the best part? I can't even tell which is the row I frogged back to. Well, I can, just barely, but only from the wrong side, so I'd say that's pretty good. The worst part? Well, I'd have preferred that the middle square been of a darker part of the variegated yarn but I still like it and I'm leavin' it like this. That's the joy of made-up intarsia. It's my pattern, and I don't have to cry unless I want to!

The other best part? I watched "Ice Castles" while knitting the cap. What a sappy, fabulous movie. God, I'm gay...

Ribbit. Ribbit.

So I thought I was going to have a photo of something approximating the majority of a sleeve-cap and, indeed, of a capped sleeve. But then I was looking at the sleeve, and at the schematic, and thinking of my memory of how a capped sleeve is supposed to look. And I glanced back at the instructions, even though I know I read them eight times before I started the decreases. And as if it were in magic Hogwartian ink, I suddenly noticed, right there in between two other instructions, the words "then on foll alt 3 rows..." and realized I hadn't done that. And I was 23 rows beyond where that instruction came.

And let me tell you, I hate to frog. It's not so much that I mind ripping. It's that I have a strong, strong, strong aversion to having to pick the stitches back up out of wherever they are and get them back on the needle facing the right direction. I have large fingers, and even though they're fleet fingers when it comes to getting the yarn to go in the right place while it's on the needles, they're not swift little tiny fingers that are good at pushing misbehaving yarn back into the right place. I did pretty good, though: out of 71 stitches, I only dropped one through the loop, and I got something close to where that stitch is and I know it'll be salvageable once I work to that part of the row, and if I can find a crochet hook. I just couldn't find one when I was trying to pick the stitches back up onto the needle. The best news? I have the exact number of stitches I am supposed to have. I know what row I'm on and I'm in the right place. Still have to re-knit 23 rows, and it means that my blog is once again non-photo-worthy, but then I didn't remember to charge the batteries in the digital camera anyhow. But for any of you who heard that loud RIBBIT.... RIBBIT... coming from the east side of Manhattan at about 5:02 this morning, well, now you know what it was.

In Case You Missed Me

I'm still here. I've been plugging away at the Alchemy Sleeve. I have nine or so rows left until the cap shaping. I decided the cap should be a solid color rather than lots of intarsia, and I discovered, lo and behold, that solid one color knitting is faster than intarsia. Imagine that! Hehe... it's good news, but it makes me wonder just how long it's going to take me to get across a row of the Kaffe Fasset design I'm planning to do. Where there's 30 colors on a single row...

Just Like Yesterday, only Longer

Therefore I'm not taking another picture of the Syncronicity Sleeve. Plus the batteries on the digicam need recharging anyhow. So I'll tell you that I'm knitting this yarn in my own made-up intarsia design; I'm pretty much making it up as I go, so it will look silly but hopefully there's enough color and it's gorgeous enough yarn to be a nice sweater. As far as how many stitches there are, overall, I'm using the pattern Bolan from Jaeger Book 28, which is a simple set-in sleeve sweater with a minor amount of shoulder and back neck shaping. My yarn is not exactly the right gauge but I'm just making the biggest size and hoping for the best. What does that spell? D.I.S.A.S.T.E.R., most likely, but we'll see. The sleeve is pretty, at any rate, and the silk-merino wool is a joy to knit up.

I showed off the back of the Blue Cable-y Goodness today to its intended recipient. We did that "hold it up to the body" thing and at least the back looks like a perfect fit. Hopefully the sweater will continue to fit properly once the other pieces become knitted up, too. I just need to free one of my #6 needles from the horrid tubular bind-off chaos that is PPD so that I can cast on the next piece of the Cables. I have to find a good link to someone who did the pretty Audrey increases so that I can figure out how to do the cable increases on my sleeves for this sweater.

I also started planning out the sweater I am going to make for my Dad out of the black and red German yarn. I'm thinking about doing a cable up each of the sleeves, and one up the front, too, and then when I get to the top of the sleeve, casting off all the stitches except for the cable stitches (and like 3 or so on either side) and having the cable go all the way up to the neck. I don't know what this is called when it's on the shoulder; any clues? And any opinions whether this is a good idea for a sweater for a man? I also need votes on whether I should do a solo cable floating in a sea of reverse stockinette or if I should do a stockinette body, K1b, p2 or 3, a cable, p2 or 3, k1b, then stockinette the rest of the way over. Tomorrow, once I've charged the batteries of the digicam, I'll snap front and back of my swatch so you can see. But vote anyhow. Now!

Bet You Didn't Expect This

So sometimes you come home after a nice dinner after the ballet and you just want to find a pair of US 2 circular needles so you can cast on a sleeve using the 2circs method. And you find a size 6, and a 4, and a bunch of threes. And no matter where you look, you can't find a *@#%^&ing 2 anywhere.

So you think, well, which project do I feel like picking up? Then you remember that you saw a woman wearing a purple wrap at the ballet and how it made you want to knit something purple. And then you remember that you have one project someplace towards the bottom of your WIP pile that includes a little bit of purple someplace in part of some of the variegated yarn in it... and so you knit a few rows of the sleeve-in-progess. And you get this:

And you still don't know where your US 2's are, but you got to spend a few hours knitting intarsia with a lovely merino/silk blend. And the sleeve is now a few inches longer. And that's a good thing.

(The weird thing I just found out? I googled "alchemy synchronicity yarn" and I was first: ahead of the company that makes the yarn!)

Baby Got Back

Well what do you know? I finished the back of the blue cable-y goodness.

Now I'm going to the ballet, but I will have to play with other yarn when I get home afterwards... I need a break from the Primo, and I'm itching to play with the Heilo...

A Question of Politics

Wednesday's knitting project. Please vote. Vote early, vote often, but vote.

Choice 1) Finish the back of the Blue Cable-y Goodness Sweater. Cast on for the front.

Choice 2) Cast on for the back of the German Wool sweater for Dad

Choice 3) Cast on a sleeve of Dale Norge 2000 (The pattern is here now!)

Vote, vote, vote! I myself am probably voting for 3. What will you vote for? Please note that this is a knitting party primary election; there are no Republican candidates in this election whatsoever and any of the candidates, if elected, will appoint only pro-choice and pro-gay-marriage judicial candidates.

So vote. What's taking you so long? Vote!!!

Short but Sweet

So I got through 7 more rows of Blue Cable-y Goodness this evening. And I finished another ball of yarn. One of the problems with Primo is that the balls are SO small... only 77 yards in one ball, which means that there are a lot of ends, at least for single color knitting. And the end of the ball I just finished? There was all of about three inches left at the end of the row. Can you say lucky? It's superwash, so spit-felt-splicing is not an option here.

Tudor Roses came in the mail today. This is a beautiful book. Even if I never knit up anything from it (though I may play with some of the patterns and my leftover yarn from the elephants and make a couple squares for Ann & Kay), I am really glad I own it. Katherine Howard just looks like the most insanely complicated design... and the fringe on the Tunic version of Katherine of Aragorn seems a little odd to me, but overall, there are some incredible designs in this book. I'm having fun just reading it.

And that's all for now.

Hello Heilo!

I love opening a box from Threadbear because it just is so pretty when you do.

Click on the photo, and it will be just like opening a present for you, too.

Remember how I told you I got something besides the Heilo? Well, nobody guessed what it was. (Nobody even tried!)

Here is what it is, in all its lovelitude:

"I can't read that label band in that photo, Jon."

I know you're hollering at me. Click here if you want to see what, precisely, such lovely yarn is. And keep visiting my blog (for eons and eons) if you want to see what this lovely yarn will become.

Pretend a Few Words is Worth a Picture

Because 11 rows of blue cable-y goodness is not. Neither is the two or three feet of scarf I worked on last night. The scarf grows fast. The cable sweater does not... but that's what you get for choosing a pattern with a gauge of 8.33 stitches per inch... and somewhere around 5 or 6 rows per inch... on a US 8 needle. Yes, an 8.

In other news, I'm looking forward to reading my first Dale pattern... anxiously awaiting its arrival in the mail.

I also got a phone message that some yarn I've been waiting for has come in to a yarn shop in Cleveland... It's from the same trip where I got the yarn to make the hated raglan. This stuff, though, is called Naturwolle Ingeborg Michels, in color 39 Vulcan. It's a hand-spun German yarn, and it knits up to a decent gauge on US 13 needles. Which I don't like. But I have six hanks here and a few more in the mail and a father who's waiting for a sweater. So I will have to spend some quality time with my 13's... I just don't enjoy the way they feel in my hands. I'm much more into the smaller needles. I find myself missing the 2s and 3s of the Waving Lace Socks and the Elephant Waistcoat (which is another reason I'm anxious for my Dale!)

When the Dale is all here, I'm thinking I might just start a sleeve and use that as a swatch... you know, measure it after I'm a few inches into it and see how it's coming. I can just rip and restart a few inches of sleeve without any difficulty, right? Because in-the-round swatches are a pain in my __*. And I didn't swatch for the Elephants and got gauge anyhow.

One more thing: I'm still trying to figure out my England trip. I know this much so far: I arrive in the UK on Friday, 15 August. I go immediately to Stratford-Upon-Avon. I'm seeing "Hamlet" at the RSC on Friday night. I've got a hotel room booked for Friday and Saturday nights in S-O-A. Then Sunday night and Monday night I have no definite plan yet. Tuesday night I have a hotel room in London, so I need to make my way there then... and then back to the States the next Sunday. So the question is, what to do with the Sunday, Monday and, perhaps, first half of Tuesday. Dublin? Shetland? Colinette? Something *gasp* non-yarn related?

My hesitation re the Colinette mill is that although I think their yarn is lovely, the kind of stuff I'm really into right now is just making more interesting things out of more simple yarn... like the Dale project, or the Cable project. I want to pick up a pile of traditional Aran wool and make myself a serious Aran sweater, probably of my own design, which probably means a sweater and a half worth of yarn to give me enough yarn to figure out how everything works out together, etc... Is this yarn something I can get in London? Do I need to go to Edinburgh? The Isle of Skye? I have no clue here. I do, however, know that I need to get a plan together, so any advice and help would be much appreciated.

And I promise some knitting photos (or at least a photo of the German yarn) soon.

Pile-o-Heilo

So I picked a Dale sweater. It wasn't either of the ones I had offered people to vote upon. Then again, this is a Jon-ocracy here at Jon's Knit Blog, and I'm the Jon-ocrat. So what I say, goes. And I like this sweater:

But I want the red to be brighter. So I called up my favorite enablers and asked for yarn and such. And I'm getting this:

And by the way, the title for the entry is Rob's idea.

Now, I have to tell you, there is something else inside the box which is winging its way from Indiana to New York City besides all that lovely Heilo. And if anyone can GUESS what it is (You'd have to be VERY lucky here, and not named Rob or Matt), you'll get a prize. Perhaps a Threadbear Gift Certificate?

A Day of Knitting

So I had today off from work (yesterday, too), and even though there was a ton of stuff I should have done (can you say, laundry?), I decided to sit and knit all day. I wanted to find the blue cable sweater and knit on that, but I couldn't find the book, so I picked up some yarn I bought in Austin and started a scarf. Yes, I'm lame, makin' a scarf. But it's pretty and fun. It's two yarns held together, one is a simple 100% silk and the other is this funky stuff called Pixel. I am doing most of the rows held together, but there are a few rows where I leave out the silk and just carry the novelty yarn. It's kind of fun, and I think my mom will like it:

Then I started moving a couple things around and just happened to unearth my 220 Aran Stitches Guide which is where the cable pattern is, and the paper notes for the blue cable sweater were stuck between a couple pages. See what the blue cable sweater looks like? It's actually a true royal blue, though the picture doesn't show it. It's Primo, so tons of stiffness and stitch definition:

(If you're looking at the Harmony Guide 220 Aran Stitches, you'll see that this is "36.2")

This is the back, which is now about 70% percent done. I got 18 rows done today, which is pretty impressive, when you realize that each row is 168 stitches of ribby cable-y madness. And heck, 18 rows times 168 stitches per row is over 3,000 stitches, when you think about it, so that's not shabby. The other thing I'm rather thrilled to tell you is that I actually felt comfortable enough with the sweater, the yarn, and the pattern to actually watch a movie while knitting. A subtitled movie. How cool is that?

Fun With Jon and Alpaca

(And a little bit of some other yarns, too. The red is Primo, and I am pretty sure the white is baby cashmerino.)

In other news, I am thinking about trying a Dale pattern. It's a toss up between this or this. I know the second one is named Hardangervidda from Dale book 126 (Same one as Ingeborg!) but I'm not sure what the first one (who I think I like better because there are more colors) is called... Please vote.

And please check out the previous entry for the real impressive knitting feat of the day. Not that I'm not proud of how quickly I turned this square out, but the next one is, well, major...

It's Almost Like Being in Tanzania

So I was going to be so excited to just show you that I was thrilled to finish an armhole on the lovely waistcoat of the elephants.

But then I started thinking that it was still early and I had lots of time to be sitting on the sofa, enjoying my television and my knitting. And even though it's two color garter stitch, it's at least in the round this time, so it's rather quicker than the front and back of the front band.

And look what happened:

That's right! I've just got to trim and cross stitch the steeks in place, deal with a few ends, and see if I can make something happen buttonwise - which may prove difficult because the buttonholes turned out much smalled and harder to deal with than I had expected.

There are a few things that I would do differently if I were to knit this pattern again, but for the most part, I'm pretty much pleased with it. And it really kindled a huge love for fair isle in me. I really want to start playing with fair isle design. And there are something like 134 colors of Spindrift, just for starters. I do believe that I will be getting my color on rather soon...

Hip to Be Square

So I'm on a bit of a kick, here. And I made an entire square in three hours! And now I have Alpaca lint all over my shirt (and probably sofa, too), but I'm happy because I got to spend a few hours playing with the lovely alpaca.

It's a simple garter stitch square -- sort of... I started with 60 stitches, and did a double decrease on the center of every other row to end up with a neat seam-y sort of line up the center. Fun fun, don't you think? I really have to say, again, that I'm loving this alpaca yarn. I really do want to make a sweater in it.

And that's all for tonight, folks. Time to sleep. Off tomorrow. Planning to do an elephantine armhole, but we'll see. Maybe I should try to get some PPD done.

And Now For Something Completely Different

Dear Ann & Kay

I didn't forget about you fabulous ladies. I have been working on a couple of afghan squares, and I finished a really interesting one last night:

I used that fun pastel variegated (cotton?) yarn that you gave me, Kay, and did a sort of log-cabin-y garter stitch square. I like how the color pattern of the yarn changes in each width, and I especially like the way it looks in the widest sections: it sort of makes these shadow-boxy-triangle shapes.

In the background there is the diagonal square with stripes which I think I've shown a progress photo of at some point.

And this is a square that's in need of some serious blocking and pressing:

But it was fun to do a "I'm going to make up the intarsia pattern design as I go along" pattern.

I started working with some wonderful Alpaca from that little mailbag of fun yarn that Kay sent me a few months ago. I LOVE this yarn. I started off trying a square in a herringbone stitch from BGW's Stitch Treasury, but it was (a) too wide (12"!) and (b) the yarn was much too dark for the stitch to show up. So I ripped it all out and will start over. I will also tell you that this yarn's band says it's Reynolds' Andean Alpaca Regal. It is LOVELY. So soft and warm, and scrumptious to knit up. I want to make myself a simple stockinette roll collar and roll waist raglan sweater out of this yarn that will just be a warm warm cuddly sweater. I'm thinking charcoal heather with a broad purple stripe. Yummy Alpaca sweater... And it would be pretty darn nice for a super-warm hat and scarf, too.

Why is it, on a sort of related note, that I seem to always want to knit tons and tons more of whatever the current project style is (that is, if it's something that I like, not if it's PPD), forsaking so many other projects? I felt almost guilty last night not working on the Elephants, but there was some stuff I wanted to watch on my TiVo that I couldn't watch while picking up stitches for two-color garter stitch armbands, so I picked up the afghan square and finished it... then started playing with the Alpaca... and now all I want to do is play with this alpaca. It's such a sinfully decadent feeling yarn. And tons cheaper than cashmere!!!

eBay Strikes Again!

Mmmmm. Not just any kind of roses. Tudor Roses. La!

Keeps Them From Escaping

OK, there are still three rows to knit, plus the bind off row. Two color garter stitch knit back and forth is dreadfully slow.

Does anyone have any good tricks for me to use on the rest of this? Also, I'd like an opinion from anyone who has one on doing the armhole borders: DPN's? Or use the "two socks-two circs" method? I'm leaning towards two circs.

While I was walking home earlier this evening, partly thinking about my budding stranded sweater design (think Kaffe Fasset, think all-over design, think rosette cathedral window), I was also thinking about the lace bridal shawl I am contemplating/planning for my sister. I am thinking, mostly because I can't find any patterns I think are wholly suitable, of designing my own pattern. But I have almost no lace knitting experience. So I'm thinking I ought to do a "practice" lace piece. Two ideas are either the Kimono Shawl or the Sampler Shawl from Cheryl Oberle's "Folk Shawls" book. Anyone out there in Blogdom have a better suggestion or a great suggestion for a bridal shawl? The two things I know for sure about the bridal shawl is that it will actually be a stole -- meaning a rectangle rather than a circle or triangle -- and that my mother thinks it should be fairly cobwebby.

So the bottom line is, I need your advice, oh my dear readers!

Hooray, I Won!

Look what I got!

I also had what may become a really interesting idea for a stranded sweater design. It wouldn't be quite "fair isle" but it would be that technique... My brain will be thinking of other things this evening as I attempt to finish the button band on the Elephant Waistcoat. I will take a picture of it once it's off the needles, but I have to say I'm rather pleased with it at this state. The steeks seem to have enjoyed their steam-bath and didn't scream when I cut them (and neither did I, so that's good).

Expect a further progress update in a few hours.

Grafts and Steeks and Elephants, Oh My!

Yes, it's time to graft the elephantine shoulders together.

I just want to mention that I found it rather ironic that while I was knitting the last couple rows of the vest, I was watching the "Bart Gets an Elephant" episode of "The Simpsons" on my TiVo.

Here is a less foreshortened view of how the V-neck and arm decreases work.

Since we here at Jon's Knit Blog have actually never finished an item that required steekage before, we're a tad trepidacious about tomorrow. I'm also not entirely thrilled about the impending quest for the perfect buttons, which I will feel compelled to find before attempting to knit buttonholes... I am, however, rather pleased by the current state of the project (except for the one elephant where I really *@(&%'ed up the pattern). I still sort of can't fathom that I will actually take a instrument of cutting and destruction to this article of knitting... intentionally!

Have You Been Paying Attention?

If you have, you've noticed that the number in the percent bar for the elephant waistcoat keeps growing. So too have the number of mistakes! For some reason, I just have not felt compelled to go back and fix them. They're also minor, so I am just grinning and bearing (elephanting) it at this point. The more I work on it, the more I appreciate its beauty, too.

I am really enjoying Miss Alice's pattern. I am looking forward to doing another of her designs (or one of Miss Jade's, perhaps?) soon.

I am also looking forward to hearing the lovely and talented Barbara Cook sing at Lincoln Center this evening, after which I will come home and work more on the elephants. I am 7 rows from the back neck which means 14 rows away from the shoulder bind of which means only a few hours of knitting before I get to the scary time of steek cutting. Tell me you don't think that this is too pretty to take scissors to.

Anyhow, I hope you're not annoyed by the plethora of progress photos. I think I'm documenting it for myself as much as I am for anyone else.

Any votes on what the next Fair Isle I do should be? In case you're curious and recall reading that I have already started a Fair Isle which was, at the time, over my head, it is Luckenbooth Brooch from Yarns International, being made for my (fabulous) boss. I think I'm probably more up to the challenge now than I was when I started it. I think I'm ready. I also am extremely interested in the Jade's Zauberflote, as I mentioned before. What do you think, my fabulous readers?

I Forgot To Tell You:

When I stopped into Downtown Yarns the other day, they had a PPD there, and I was reassured by the fact that theirs was suffereing from the same funky texture issue that I have had. Of course, theirs was finished, which mine is not, yet, still...

And mine won't get finished, at least not today. My colleague is out sick (for the second day in a row) and since the hotel is frightfully busy, I'm going in to work for him. Which is no fun because it means I was there last night until 10pm and now I have to be back this morning at 8:00. It's hard to get the appropriate sleep to do this. (I couldn't work a later shift because I have dinner and theatre plans this evening. Now I just hope I'll be able to stay awake during the ballet...)

So probably no knitting until tomorrow, as disappointing as that may be.

A Steek Runs Through It

Three steeks, actually.

I'm at this very confusing portion of the pattern where you have to:

Decrease at Center Neck on next and every following third row;
AND at the same time, decrease at each side of the arm on the next four rounds and then on every following alternate round five times in all.

Can you blame me for flubbing four or five pattern stitches? And I think I missed one decrease. Maybe two. And it appears that I only have 37 rounds to work before I graft. And cut steeks. Yikes! I might need a little hand-holding here. I'll just summon my inner Wendy and I'll be steeking like it's no big deal...

And to think that I'm just doing this to avoid the tubular bind-off on PPD... Actually, I'm really rather loving the Fair Isle. I spent a bit of time browsing the Starmore eShop and came across a design that looks frightfully difficult yet astonishgly gorgeous and I'm seriously wanting to make it. 500 other projects on deck not withstanding...

Where Did All Those Elephants Come From?

I got through 13 rows tonight, which means that I completed the second set of elephants. (there are now 14 elephants, if you're keeping track)

I also took a picture of the front steek in case anyone actually wants to see that. I can't imagine it's all that exciting, but it's a steek, nonetheless, and I'm slightly nervous to know that I'll be cutting it in the not-so-distant future. I mean, if I can break an Addi Turbo, imagine what I can do to simple wool...

Anyhow, I have about 11 rows left before I have to start mucking around with shaping. Good thing I have the pattern pretty much figured out.

I feel like I've learned a ton about knitting Fair Isle doing this sweater. I have done a couple stranded projects -- a hat, and I started an adult sweater that I put on hold because I decided, after row 8, that it was just too ambitious for me at the time. Now, I'm totally ready to pick it back up. Of course, I will finish this first, but I am looking forward to getting back into that design (and figuring out where in the pattern I am!) I really feel comfortable keeping the strands about the right length on the wrong side. The fabric can be pulled out to an approximation of "finished size" and it doesn't have the pucker that plagued much of my Fair Isle hat, (an The King Harald hat by Ann Feitelson knit in silly colors of Baby Ull. Damn yarn store women who don't know what they're telling you to do... Maybe I'll take a photo of it one night so you can have a laugh at my ridiculous yet fun to wear colorway.)

And that's that... for now.

It's Not Cheating If You Don't Buy Yarn

As Samantha accurately noted, I was at KnitNY today.

I met one of my college professors there; she bought some lovely Lobster Pot cashmere and some angora, too, and she's going to make a fun (superwarm!) scarf. And I bumped into Samantha, although we didn't do proper introductions at the shop. If she's the one I think she was, she was wearing a gorgeous Charlotte's Web. And if not, then some other nice person was wearing a gorgeous Charlotte.

I am VERY proud to confess that I didn't buy any yarn. However, I cannot claim to have not spent any money, for aside from the (delicious) sandwich I had from the lovely cafe, I purchased three (count 'em, three) books.

1) A Treasury of Knitting Patterns (Barbara J. Walker)
2) A Second " " " " (" " ")
3) Knitting 19th Century Sources (Jules & Kaathe Kliot).

Many of you know the first two; the third book is amazing. It is a collection of vintage knitting designs ranging from shawls to socks to petticoats to a "Barrister's Wig in Puffed Knitting." I love the final instruction: "Make a pretty bow to place on the top of the wig, and a smaller bow to go at the back of the neck above the curtain." I am not sure if I would ever make something from this book, but it's fascinating and the patterns are extraordinary.

There are some great lace patterns in the BJW books which I intend to use for the Bridal Shawl I'm going to make for my sister. (Did I mention she finally got engaged this past weekend?)

I knit two rounds on the Elephants at KnitNY, then after we left, I realized I was just a couple blocks from Downtown Yarns, so I decided to stop in there. And I didn't buy any yarn there, either! I must be doing something right. Actually, I decided I'm going on a yarn diet (unless I realize that I seriously need something for a particular project) until I get to England. I think I'm going to buy a lot of fun stuff at Colinette, and I'm thinking about buying yarn to make myself an aran, though I may concentrate on Shetland Jumperweight (unless I have to go to the Shetland Isles to find it) and explore my inner Fair Isle designer...

Any of you UK'ers, please send any great LYS advice my way.

Mommy, What does an Elephant Say?

Well, a knitted elephant doesn't actually talk, but he does look rather pretty marching around my Waistcoat-in-Progress.

Oh, how I love having the day off and getting to sit on the sofa and knit.

Now, though, I'm off to meet one of my college professors for dinner downtown.

Sock It Two Me!

Oh my, I actually finished something.

Here's a close up of the stitch pattern. I think it's rather lovely.

To give credit where it's due, these are the Waving Lace Socks from page 82 of the Spring 2004 Interweave Knits, designed by Eveyln A. Clark. The yarn is Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Lilac (from Threadbear), knit on 2.50mm Suzanne's brand ebony needles

Now, frequent sock-knitters, please tell me: Can you usually tell which sock you knit first? I've put them next to one another and now I'm really not sure which is which. Not the same as twins, I guess.

Tomorrow!

Only half a pattern rep and then the toe decreases. 12 stitches to graft together, two ends to weave in, and then the Waving Lace Socks will be done.

I can't belive it's almost time for another FO.

Photo for you within 24 hours barring any unforseen developments. But since I'm supposed to be off from work tomorrow, I should be able to finish the sock and work a couple rows of pachydermal strandwork...