I'm all atwitter:

Sunday, September 23, 2007

So close...

I checked my place in line on Ravelry earlier:

Found you!
  • You signed up on July 16, 2007
  • You are #17301 on the list.
  • 658 people are ahead of you in line.
  • 17747 people are behind you in line.
  • 47% of the list has been invited so far
Yesteday there were about 1000 more ahead of me...I'm hoping to get my invite in the next day or two! *squeeeeee*

Pictures Pictures!

Before I dashed off to work this morning (err....afternoon) I snapped some pictures of what's on the needles and what I've finished lately:

My coworker is having a baby boy in early December. Her husband was in the Army and he's really into hunting and all that business...so of course the baby needs a camo blankie!

I'm using Lion Brand's Diagonal Pattern Baby Blanket with Red Heart's Super Saver in Camo doubled on #11 straights. I have a feeling that I'm going to run out of room on the needles. I have 52 (I think) stitches on the needles right now and need to double that to get the blankie the size I want. I guess you just cram them on, right?

*Note how that chair in the background looks so...loved. That's Maddy's homebase. Normally she's there but Mommy had opened the curtains for her so she could sun her sweet belly.*

It's a simple pattern once you get started: K3, yo, knit to end of row. After you get it as big as you want, you start the decreases. The yo gives that cute border and I love love the diagonal of it all. I loathe casting on b/c I never pull out enough tail and then when I pull out a lot, it's way too much and I waste yarn. HATE. This way, I only had to cast on 5 stitches and will only have to bind off that many too.

It's working up pretty quickly too. I did what's on the needles in about three hours total time. Not bad considering I was watching "America's Next Top Model" and a myriad of other "trash TV" as Al so lovingly calls it.

You can see the yo better in this pic:

It's not really all wonky and curved. It's crammed on that needle and won't lie flat.

And to see how thick it is...it's going to be really cozy. I hope the baby likes!!


I also took some pics of Al's scarf. Still no word if they can get the yarn for me or not :( Baby's displeased.

Isn't it pretty? I love how the sides are wavy. And closeup so you can see what a sloppy knitter I am :)

I really want to work on this more b/c I love the pattern but since I'll be putting the "new" ball of yarn in the middle, I'm stuck.

The irresponsible amount of cotton yarn I ordered:


Those are 1lb cones in apple green, black, brown, white, black/white/gray, pink/yellow/green, shades of brown, pink/white/black. There are also some small leftovers that I'll eventually make one big dishtowel out of when I get enough. I also have a cone of a lovely cream/brown/blue/lime that's in the travel bag. It goes to doctor's offices, car trips, etc. I toss them in big plastic zipper bags, cut off the end and knit out of it. Keeps the dog hair at bay. I love Maddy but not everyone wants Maddy all up in their dishcloths.

Some finished ballband dishcloths:

There are a few more floating around but Baby just does not have the time nor energy to find those suckers. The two in the center were my "Damnit, I'm knitting two dishcloths on this trip!" cloths. The one on the right I managed to do last Sunday whilst Al and I traversed Southern Indiana and Bardstown, KY. Baby's a prodigy, no? hahaha

Oh and this knitting in lieu of eating business is gonna work I think. I knitted on that blanket last night/this morning instead of digging through the fridge for something I didn't need. Yay!

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Well hell

I swear on my yarn that I didn't forget about this blog! There's this thing that gets in the way of my knitting and blogging...maybe you've heard of it? WORK. Uh! I've been a busy kitten these past two weeks! Busy busy busy.

Oh! So remember how I was allll excited that this yarn shop across town had my ever-lovin yarn? Not so much. They had Lamb's Pride Bulky but not in superwash. I bought it anyway b/c the lady was so nice and b/c I made my first scarf out of it and I think a hat would be cute. Go fig. I'm such a sucker.

I called another LYS even more across town and while they don't have what I want, they offered to order it. I'm expecting a call early in the week to give me an ETA and cost. Cross your needles for me, girls!!

I went to my second felted bag class and the Ladies Who Knit were impressed with my bag I think! While part of me thinks they're always this sweet, I do think they thought I did a nice job. That made Baby feel really good and made the cramped hand from sewing worth it!

Since I was all yarned up with no pattern to knit, Whitney (the sweet instructor) suggested I make a super cute bag and learn intarsia while I was at it. Oh sure. I can fig that out. RIGHT! Anyway, I knitted the back and most of the side panel. Once I finish that, I'll tackle the front and the intarsia. We'll see how that goes. I'd post pics of it but it's going to be a gift for a friend and I don't want her seeing it!!

Other than that and the occasional dishcloth, Baby's knitting has been at a stand-still. NO FUN. :(

I've stayed caught up on the other Knitting Blogs I Love and everyone else has been so busy! I'm nearly jealous.

Aside from that, I "rededicated" myself to Weight Watchers. Heh. I'd lost 27 pounds last year and then sorta just stopped. Stopped weighing, stopped counting points, etc. I managed to only gain 2.4 lbs in that time off so I"m not too heartbroken. Maybe I can knit in lieu of stuffing my face? Here's to hoping!!

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Measure twice, sew twice

So we're all clear: Baby doesn't sew.

As mentioned earlier, when I sew, I "sew." I iron that stitch witchery stuff between the edges and call it done. I had lofty plans of doing something similiar with lining the felted bag.

I had to work today at noon so I had a couple of hours more than usual this morning to piddle around. I downed half a pot of coffee and was ready to get to work. I measured my bag and made notes. Then I measured again and confirmed. Damn I'm good at measuring. I went on a wild search for the magic stitch witch stuff and could NOT find it. I think Maddy hid it from me. :(

Since I now had it in my head that I had to line the bag TODAY, I got cozy with the idea of hand sewing the lining. I had figured out that the easiest way to do this would be to cut a length of fabric to make a tube of sorts for the sides of the bag (only one seam) and then a square for the bottom. Easy enough.

Noooot so much. Since I gave myself a generous seam allowance, my liner was to big. Crap. So I had to sew it again. After that, however, it fit perfectly and I was ready to attach it. That went well until my hands cramped up. Baby's too delicate to be a seamstress.

I picked a pretty peacock color. I thought it along with the silky material would make a nice contrast. In hindsight, I really wish I had found a nice pink or something lighter.



And so you may see my terrible stitches...

Maddy doesn't give a shit. She just wishes that bag had kibble in it!

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Feltin' Baby

I'm a stubborn only child and thought, foolishly, that I could teach myself to knit just by reading a book. Ha! Baby's funny too!!

I have a handful of books but the one that was most helpful was Stitch 'n Bitch. By far, it was the most clear and entertaining book I'd laid my little hands on. It's also what my LYS's Knitting for Dummies class was based on.

Since my first class with my LYS went so well, I signed up for the Felted Bag class right away. Class was on Wednesday night and I finished the knitting Thursday. I'm a prodigy. ;)

I felted last night and while nervewracking, it went well! I'd done a lot of reading ahead online about what to do and what no to do, so I was well-prepared.

We knitted the Meema's Marsupial Tote from the Stitch 'n Bitch book for those interested.

Before felting:

After two trips in the short cycle:

As you can tell, it shrunk up quite a bit but I think I could have let it go more but I really didn't want it to shrink THAT much.

Up close of the felting:

And because I'm so effin impressed with myself right now, one more:

I'm a teeny bit disappointed I didn't felt more, but I think I sorta like how it turned out. I could always felt it more...we'll see.

Oh and for those of you who know what the hell you're doing, note my huge mistake in the form of a garter stitch band around the middle. Since I'd never worked with circulars before I screwed up. When I got home from class, I started knitting but did so backwards and was three and a half rounds in before I noticed. I made it an even four and then went back to doing it right. Al thinks it looks intentional and I like it. By some miracle of the Knitting Gawds, it's right in the middle of the green. Go fig.

Despite my lack of sewing skills, I'm going to sew a liner into this over the weekend. When Baby sews, she irons that stitch witchery stuff and calls it's a day. I'm pretty sure I can't do that with wool :) I hope to find a cute non-matchy matchy pattern of fabric that's cheap and see what happens. I mean, how hard can it be, right? I so have this.

Oh! And as far as the class goes...our homework was to get up to where we changed colors and then we'd tackle the rest this coming up Wednesday. Whoops. Baby's an overachiever and was OUT OF CONTROL. I couldn't stop myself. Fortunately, the teacher is a doll and the other woman in the class won't be there. I'm hoping I can either start another bag (maybe another pattern) or pick up some new skills. We shall see!!!

I'll post pics of the bag when it's all lined and ready for its close up!


Ballband dishcloth craze

In all my obsessive internet searching, I came across Mason-Dixon Knitting. I instantly fell in love. After I got my bearings back, I drove my cute self to Walmart and Hobby Lobby in search of #7 needles and fun, bright cotton yarn.

Per usual, I wasn't failed. I bought a half dozen balls of bright, fun colors along with some metal #7 needles, and a few other notions. I had previously printed out the ballband pattern and was determined to tackle it.

My novice skills were tested! I didn't know how to read patterns well, slip stitches were foreign but I was going to kick this pattern's ass.

And you know what?? I did!

Fraternal twins:

I instantly fell in lust. The only thing I didn't like was the size. I did Hard Math and figured I could cast on 39 instead of 45 and my dishcloths would still be big enough but not THAT huge.

Al and I recently too a road trip to aforementioned sorority sister's wedding and I set a goal of knitting two dishcloths in the car. Never mind we sat in the car for 5 minutes in front of our townhome the night we arrived so I could bind off -- I made my goal :)

I've now made 5 of these dishcloths and decided they'd make perfect Christmas gifts! I bought an irresponsible amount of cotton yarn from Elmore Pisgah (makers of my beloved Peaches 'n Cream cotton yarn) in a variety of colors and have quite the project ahead of me.

Oh and in the spirit of full disclosure, my shitty math skills caused me to order twice as much yarn as I need. Thank goodness this stuff is inexpensive and handy else I'd be pissed!

Stay tuned for more Ballbands!

1 + 1 = 3

So we're all clear, thus far, all my knitting disasters haven't involved poor knitting, but poor arithmetic. Baby's not so good with the simple math. The hard stuff, I got. Adding? Not so much.

This gray yarn. This pretty, reasonably expensive, gray yarn. It's Lamb's Pride Superwash Bulky in Charcoal Gray for those that give a rat's ass. In the interest of disclosing all info (this is critical in having the whole story) it was $10/ball at my LYS. There are 110 yards per ball and each ball is also 100 grams. Again, critical information.

Since we all know I suck at math, I decided that the simple math in making a swatch was just trouble waiting to happen. So I got out my trusty food scale (Weight Watchers is my babydaddy), switched it to the metric setting, and weighted my yarn and one of my needles. Yup. There are 100 grams of yarn and one needle is 10 grams. Made notes. Started knitting.

I finished one pattern repeat and weighed it. Did the "hard math" and determined if I kept my current gage, that my scarf would be just the right length.

So I knitted. And I knitted. And I counted rows. And I miscounted rows. Then I bought a row counter (all problems solved then!). I knitted until I finished the first ball almost entirely. Then I weighed my work. Then...then I measured it.

There's no coincidence that SHIT and KNIT rhyme. Baby said a lot of bad words that night. My wonderful hard work was only two feet long. Let's do the math together:

1 ball = 2 feet

2 balls = 4 feet

4 foot scarf + 6'3 Hunk of Man = Too short scarf

Too short scarf = Baby losing her shit

Al tried to console me and suggest just going to buy more yarn. Genius! Not so much :( My LYS was OUT OF THE COLOR! I damn near passed out. What was I to do?? The Lovely Ladies Who Knit suggested I get another color and add it to the ends. Too bad all they had in stock was Frilly Girly Man colors. This just would not do.

I came home, employed Al's help and we set off searching the internet for said yarn. I had rationalized that dye lot wouldn't matter at this point. I'd just work the new yarn next and the old yarn last. That way, when around his sweet little neck, the ends would match and the middle would match. I'm so smart!

But the internet failed us. While Baby is desperate for this yarn, she's also not going to spend $6.95 to have it shipped to her. Oh hell no. I searched and searched to no avail. I decided I'd give it 4 weeks, then I'd rip out and start over. *sigh* Al offered to buy another type for himself so that I could still use this beauuuuuuutiful pattern. How sweet. While sweet, that had me knitting TWO scarves for his sweet little neck. Baby already crocheted two for him last winter. Two more already? Goodness!

Yesterday, in a fit of desperation, I started calling other LYSs in the area. A dear, sweet woman across town confirmed she had one ball of my so-desired yarn. ONE BALL. I begged her to hold it and she did! I offered my first born and my Visa number, but she declined. I'm picking it up on Tuesday (my day off). Cross your fingers and needles!

Warshrags

Yeah. I said it. Warshrag. WARSH. Do y'all have any idea how much that word hurts me? I think my left index finger is cramping from reaching for the "R" key. Baby calls them dishcloths and that's what she'll continue to call them. This warshrag business...I just can't go there.

Moving onward.

I decided that while I wanted to expand my knitting skills, I didn't want to waste time and good money on expensive yarn. Whatever is a girl to do?? I sweet-talked Al into being a Big Strong Man and carrying my tote o' yarn up from the depths of the basement. Inside I found some looooovely cotton yarn. I got to knitting and made some pretty stinkin cute dishcloths:

Seed stitch:

Basketweave (I winged this one. Baby couldn't read patterns at this point):
Pretttttty cute :) I was delighted with myself. I just HAD to buy more yarn! HAD TO. I made a quick lunch-break trip to Walmart and got some pretty pretty colors and started pouring over the internets for good ideas.

What I found was a beauuuuuutiful scarf pattern, the Ballband Dishcloth craze, and lots of things that were too hard for me. Oh and I found Knitting Help. This site is badass. It's gotten me through a lot of rough times.

In the midst of all this my favorite LYS held their annual Huge Sale. I was drawn to it like White Trash to Twinkies. Al was sweet and went along (conveniently enough, his favorite coffee shop is next door) and picked out some nice, manly gray yarn for himself. I purchased 2 balls and was off! Oh and I bought a half dozen balls of Alpaca for meeeee but who's keeping track of that?? ;)

So I have yarn and nothing to do with it. The horror! Back to this beauuuuuuuuutiful scarf pattern...It's lovely. It required minimal pattern-reading skills (handy since I have zero), was simple, AND looked really really hard (key when you're Egotistical Baby). I didn't want to break out the gray stuff yet, so I whipped up a dishcloth in the pattern. I had a sorority sister (I told y'all I was in the south!) getting hitched and thought handknits would be a fantastic gift! I just happened to have cotton yarn in "our colors" so I started in on the beauuuuuutiful scarf pattern on this cotton yarn. One and a half pattern repeats later I had this:


It's too bad you can't REALLY see the pattern b/c of the variegation of the yarn, but you get the idea. The beauuuuuutiful scarf has scalloped, rolling edges and is just so so so darn pretty. And Manly. Don't forget, my hunky, Big Strong Man Al is going to be wearing this scarf.

Anyway, dishcloths need friends so I made another seed stitch one to go with it, shoved a Walmart gift card in the center and tied a white ribbon around it all. Thoughtful, inexpensive and useful. Baby is unstoppable.

Oh but she's not...I hope my foreshadowing of the beauuuuuutiful scarf disaster wasn't too subtle...because things make a terrible turn for the worse very very soon...

The First FO

At my Knitting for Dummies class, we were supplied with some Clover bamboos in #11 and our choice of colors in Lamb's Pride Bulky. Baby chose Tiger Lily which is a lovely soft orange. It doesn't clash against my red hair or pale, splotchy skin. It's almost flattering!

Class was on a Tuesday night and I knitted and purled my little heart out for two hours. Then I came home, practiced my stitches and poked Al with my knitting needle. Oh how I enjoy knitting. I always have a weapon in my hand. Before I just swatted him away with my hand but now I can stab and smack him. His love for me grows with every smack, swat and dropped stitch.

I was off work the next day because my Daddy was scheduled for carpal tunnel surgery. It sounds so vile saying "My Daddy" but I'm southern and that's what I call my father. He's my Daddy not my daddy. Y'all know the difference.

Anyhoo, I seized the opportunity and practiced my stitches in the waiting room. Mama tried her best to ignore me. I think she's tired of my craftiness. I out Grandma her anyday. Now, before any of you start speculating a la People magazine, Baby doens't have a baby. She has a dog. One very cute, very spoiled, very obstinate dog.

After two or so feet, I grew tired of garter ridges and stockinette so off I went into ribbing. It worked and looked like "real" knitting. So I frogged all my practice stitches and began a 2x2 ribbed scarf. It took about two weeks because Baby is easily distracted. Her little fingers were very out of shape and would hurt after too much knitting action.

In the spirit of being ancient, Mama had a pesky ovary removed and that afforded Baby more Waiting Room Knitting. I finished up my scarf whilst Daddy leaned over and asked me questions. He's not intimidated in my craftiness! Fortunately he's the Manliest of Men and I'll never have to knit him a scarf. I wonder if there's a pattern out there for a shotgun cozy? That'd make a great Christmas pressie!

The fruit of my labor:

Nestled into it's new home...

And sprawled on the kitchen counter so that you may enjoy the ribby goodness.

How's that for a knitty newb? :) Baby likes.

Novice Baby

I learned to knit two months ago in one of those "Learn to knit in 2 hours" classes at my LYS. I'd been crocheting for three or so years prior to that but my skills in the hooking department are miserly. I can double crochet and that's really about it. Boring? Very. Quick? Extremely. Baby has hooked out dozens and dozens of scarves. All my friends have warm necks except for a few of the fashionista ones. Burberry I ain't.

Knitting has been a mystery for sometime. Baby's a lefty (hence the lack of crocheting skills) and thought knitting would be difficult because of that. Au contraire! Who knew one could knit Continental and it'd be easy as pie?!?! I breezed through my first scarf and started right in on my second scarf (more on that later) and dishcloths and now I'm ass-deep in felting.

For those at home who are confused at my Bob Dole-esque third person references to myself as "Baby," you must turn your attention and blame to my boyfriend. It's all his fault. Al's a sweet hunk of man and calls me "baby." It's endearing and cute considering the alternatives. I'm a bit of a sass, so I mouth off a lot and tell him "Baby doesn't iron," "Baby doesn't do windows" and things of that nature. It's stuck and I now refer to myself as "Baby" so much that it's taken the place of nearly all personal pronouns at home. I've even caught myself saying it in public. The horror!

But this isn't *really* public, right? ;) I mean, most of y'all aren't even wearing pants.