I fell off the blogosphere for a while - I do that, from time to time. =/
I haven't been doing much knitting, lately. I got sucked into another hobby (Avengers fandom) and that kind of took over my brain for a bit. But I did cast on something new, the other day - a dice bag for a friend of mine. It's almost done. I just have to find size 7 DPNs to finish the bottom and make the I-cord drawstring.
I'm still trying to get tiny little baby socks done for some friends at work, and one of my dearest friends just had a little one, as well. Luckily, tiny knits can be done even in the summer heat and humidity. =)
I've also picked up some Red Heart Sashay. I love the lacy scarves. I have one done in shades of blue, one nearly done in lovely earth tones, and the yarn for the one in light pinks. Maybe I'll bring those in to work after I finish the dice bag.
Bits and bytes about yarn, knitting, and life as me.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
BSJ is done! \O/
I finished the Baby Surprise Jacket last night, and sewed the buttons on this evening. Hopefully, tomorrow's weather will cooperate and we'll have enough sunlight that I can take some good pictures of the sweater and the dragon-scale booties.
I've started the "A Good Bias" shrug from Interweave Knits Spring 2005. I'm using Bernat Handicrafter Cotton in off-white, and I'm shortening the sleeves some from 14" (as the pattern is written) to perhaps half that. I want to have something to wear over my tank-tops when I'm at work, to make things look a little nicer. This pattern is open and the cotton will breathe better than acrylic.
I've started the "A Good Bias" shrug from Interweave Knits Spring 2005. I'm using Bernat Handicrafter Cotton in off-white, and I'm shortening the sleeves some from 14" (as the pattern is written) to perhaps half that. I want to have something to wear over my tank-tops when I'm at work, to make things look a little nicer. This pattern is open and the cotton will breathe better than acrylic.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
BSJ update
99 of 114 rows done on the Baby Surprise Jacket. This is the oddest looking thing I've ever knit - odd looking at this point, anyway. When it's done, it all folds just so and I only have to seam across the shoulders and the tops of the sleeves.
I'm hoping to get it finished tomorrow evening, after work. My wife's cousin has already had the baby for which it's being knit, so... yeah, I need to get it finished and delivered to the little'un. =)
Hope all y'all are doing well!
I'm hoping to get it finished tomorrow evening, after work. My wife's cousin has already had the baby for which it's being knit, so... yeah, I need to get it finished and delivered to the little'un. =)
Hope all y'all are doing well!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
New ball of baby yarn!
I picked up a ball of Bernat Baby Jacquards in Macaroon, yesterday. One of the guys with whom I work is going to be a new daddy in August, and I'd like to make a little something for his little-boy-in-progress. =) (They found out the other day that it's a boy.)
I'm not sure what to make - probably booties, or maybe baby socks and a little stuffie or something. I don't know. I do know that I have to finish this Baby Surprise Jacket for my wife's cousin's new baby girl, first.
I'm not sure what to make - probably booties, or maybe baby socks and a little stuffie or something. I don't know. I do know that I have to finish this Baby Surprise Jacket for my wife's cousin's new baby girl, first.
Monday, March 5, 2012
I haven't had much time to be crafty, the past few weeks. I did finish a little pair of baby booties, following a fantastic pattern about which I'll post when I put up pictures of the booties. I've also just started on the Baby Surprise Jacket. Both booties and jacket are being worked with Bernat Baby Jacquards in colourway 06230, Spearmint Candy. I love the colours. =)
I've nearly finished the shawl I started a few weeks ago, too - but I haven't touched it in a bit. It only needs a few more inches to be complete. As with the booties - pictures to come, soon!
I've nearly finished the shawl I started a few weeks ago, too - but I haven't touched it in a bit. It only needs a few more inches to be complete. As with the booties - pictures to come, soon!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
Busy busy busy!
I've been busy busy busy with work, and I haven't really had much time for yarning these past couple of weeks. But I have been planning to treat myself to some new yarn, now that I have a paycheck again. I don't know exactly what I'd like to get, though. Probably sock yarn, but not necessarily. Any suggestions from the peanut gallery?
Saturday, February 11, 2012
A Side Trip Into Crochet
I've put my sock knitting aside for just a bit to crochet myself a simple shawl. I'm in training for a new job, and will be spending a great deal of time sitting at a desk in an office environment where the temperature is a bit cooler than I would ideally prefer. So: shawl! =)
I'm using Lion Brand's Easy Triangle Shawl pattern, which is free but one must have an account on Lion's site to see it. The yarn is Bernat's Super Value Harvest Colors, in Teal Heather (53203) and I'm using a size N hook.
The pattern is written for Lion Brand Homespun yarn, which is bulky, and the Bernat is Worsted, so I'm getting a somewhat looser stitch, which is preferable in this instance.
I'm using Lion Brand's Easy Triangle Shawl pattern, which is free but one must have an account on Lion's site to see it. The yarn is Bernat's Super Value Harvest Colors, in Teal Heather (53203) and I'm using a size N hook.
The pattern is written for Lion Brand Homespun yarn, which is bulky, and the Bernat is Worsted, so I'm getting a somewhat looser stitch, which is preferable in this instance.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Adventures in Pattern Adapting
I discovered, while working on the adorable Jester cuff from SWTC's Socks a la Carte (a really fantastic book, I must say), that:
1. if a pattern repeat has increases and decreases (in this case, two yo and, a few stitches later, a VDD) and
2. if your needle split for DPNs, 2 circs or magic loop is in between those increases and decreases for one pattern repeat (two yo on needle 1, the VDD on needle 2)
your work will have a gradual migration of stitches from needle 2 to needle 1.
The pattern calls for a cast-on of 84, and I'm using magic loop so, following the instructions for 2 circs, I split the stitches at 42 on each needle. I first discovered that, with the stitches split that way, I would have to find some way to magically knit 2 together across the needle divide, and I also had a yo at the END of the row, which is a pain in the butt and ends up offsetting the stitches even further. So I frogged it and re-cast-on, and shifted the pattern so that I was starting in the middle of the pattern repeat, putting my k2togs not across the needle split.
Unfortunately, shifting the pattern put the yo, k1, yo in the first half of the repeat on needle 1, and the VDD (sl2 as if to k2tog, k1, pass two sl st over) on needle 2. Increases on one side, decreases on the other, and by round 2 I had 44 and 40 instead of 42 and 42. By round 4, I had 46 and 38, and by round 6 I was looking at passing slipped stitches over across the needle split, which would have given me 48 and 36.
So! The pattern repeat is across 12 stitches. I am now working the pattern from the middle of the repeat, as I did on try #2, but instead of splitting the stitches 42 and 42, I split them 48 and 36 (4 repeats of 12 and 3 repeats of 12, respectively), which ensures that none of my pattern repeats cross the needle split and I have no yarnovers at the end of a row (or at the end of a needle split). And this pattern is working up to be absolutely adorable!
1. if a pattern repeat has increases and decreases (in this case, two yo and, a few stitches later, a VDD) and
2. if your needle split for DPNs, 2 circs or magic loop is in between those increases and decreases for one pattern repeat (two yo on needle 1, the VDD on needle 2)
your work will have a gradual migration of stitches from needle 2 to needle 1.
The pattern calls for a cast-on of 84, and I'm using magic loop so, following the instructions for 2 circs, I split the stitches at 42 on each needle. I first discovered that, with the stitches split that way, I would have to find some way to magically knit 2 together across the needle divide, and I also had a yo at the END of the row, which is a pain in the butt and ends up offsetting the stitches even further. So I frogged it and re-cast-on, and shifted the pattern so that I was starting in the middle of the pattern repeat, putting my k2togs not across the needle split.
Unfortunately, shifting the pattern put the yo, k1, yo in the first half of the repeat on needle 1, and the VDD (sl2 as if to k2tog, k1, pass two sl st over) on needle 2. Increases on one side, decreases on the other, and by round 2 I had 44 and 40 instead of 42 and 42. By round 4, I had 46 and 38, and by round 6 I was looking at passing slipped stitches over across the needle split, which would have given me 48 and 36.
So! The pattern repeat is across 12 stitches. I am now working the pattern from the middle of the repeat, as I did on try #2, but instead of splitting the stitches 42 and 42, I split them 48 and 36 (4 repeats of 12 and 3 repeats of 12, respectively), which ensures that none of my pattern repeats cross the needle split and I have no yarnovers at the end of a row (or at the end of a needle split). And this pattern is working up to be absolutely adorable!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Socks, Socks, and More Socks!
Tuesday night - okay, some time around 4:15am on Wednesday - I finished the second of the Crazy Socks. I'll try to post pictures soon. I love them! The colours are completely different between the two socks. They're knit with Zauberball Crazy, and I can't wait to work with Zauberball again.
I have two more socks on the go, right now, both with TOFUtsies. One is being knit with a very basic sock pattern, one for which I don't need a copy of the pattern in front of me. I'm in 3 1/2 weeks of training, at work, and these are my "lunch time and break time" socks. They're red and white, colourway #721. Valentine Socks! =)
The other, also with TOFUtsies - colourway 873, a Limited Edition from, I believe, 2009 - is the first of a pair for my daughter. I'm trying a pattern set from Socks a la Carte, using the Jester cuff, the Welt body, the Short Row heel and the Round toe.
Pictures all around, once there's something to photograph. =)
What are y'all working on?
I have two more socks on the go, right now, both with TOFUtsies. One is being knit with a very basic sock pattern, one for which I don't need a copy of the pattern in front of me. I'm in 3 1/2 weeks of training, at work, and these are my "lunch time and break time" socks. They're red and white, colourway #721. Valentine Socks! =)
The other, also with TOFUtsies - colourway 873, a Limited Edition from, I believe, 2009 - is the first of a pair for my daughter. I'm trying a pattern set from Socks a la Carte, using the Jester cuff, the Welt body, the Short Row heel and the Round toe.
Pictures all around, once there's something to photograph. =)
What are y'all working on?
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Hello, world!
Hello, all. =)
My hope for this blog is that I will post about my knitting and other crafting projects - photographs, information, links to patterns, things I've learned from trying this method or that, that sort of thing. I do plan to keep it updated at least somewhat regularly, but we'll see if I stick to that.
Cheers!
My hope for this blog is that I will post about my knitting and other crafting projects - photographs, information, links to patterns, things I've learned from trying this method or that, that sort of thing. I do plan to keep it updated at least somewhat regularly, but we'll see if I stick to that.
Cheers!
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