Glossy Grove

I have seriously been slacking on the photographing projects & yarn both for here & for Ravelry. Not quite sure why – I have way better areas to photograph stuff outside (um, my neighbors can’t see me when I haul yarn or do goofy poses in front of my camera) and it’s not like I’ve stopped buying yarn or anything.  I try to pretend I don’t by working through my stash but yeah, I’m still obtaining yarn either from work or because I just need something from Twisted.  I also try to pretend it’s because the weather hasn’t been great when for me to take pictures of them outside but since it was hailing when I took these photos, that’s not really holding up. (Yes I have a covered porch)

So enough of the non excuses.  A couple of weeks back, I was on the Knit Picks podcast again (always fun) talking about Impractical Knits.  Well, that fits these, at least for me at the moment.

Glossy Grove

Started: Oct 4th

Completed:  Oct 10

Yarn: Knit Pick Gloss HW in Aegean

Pattern: Grove by Jared Flood

Needles: 6US

Notes:  I fell in love with this pattern the minute I saw it.  It’s the reason I bought Made In Brooklyn actually.

And while these would have been perfect when I lived in MA & taking public transit in the freezing cold, I don’t think they will get much use here.  I drive to work and, baring some freak storm, it doesn’t get that cold here.

But they were very fun to make – the pattern is excellent.  And I used my favorite KP yarn at the moment, Gloss HW, which made it even better.   It is larger than the yarn called for but I have big hands anyway.  And how gorgeous is this color?

It matches the My Wave Cowl I made & I have about a ball left that might be enough to do a matching Ripley (rav link).

So that’s one project done & photographed at least – I have a couple more goofy things (more DangerCrafts toys) that I’ll post about later.  I’m currently working on Christmas gifts – I think I’m doing okay on that front, but ask me again in a month & I’ll probably be freaking out, like always.

One last note – I got some fantastic news last week in regards to work.  I got a promotion!  No longer will you hear my sexy voice (heh) on the customer service line (sorry J.P., you’ve missed the boat ) I will now be working directly with Knit Picks on a very exciting new project.  I am so happy, it’s going to be so much fun!  Not too many details yet – I can’t for a bit yet plus the one downside is I don’t get to start until mid November.   I am so very lucky – I couldn’t get anyone to call me back for a job when I started applying here & now I’m working for a company I already really loved and I get to work with a kick ass bunch people.  Plus – it’s all about knitting & yarn!   What could be better?

 

 

Monsters taking over

What do you do when you’re sick and sad & lonely because there’s no one to take care of you or even talk to?

You become one of those weirdos who creates their own friends.

It hasn’t been a great week – mostly because I’ve been sick (not H1N1 or anything, but pretty miserable for most of the week).  And I’ve fallen in love with the Danger Crafts creatures (so much I started my very first Ravelry group for them) So I spent most of the week in isolation (to keep whatever I had to myself) making several for gifts…and for myself.

First is Crowley.  He’s my favourite.

His favourite book is Good Omens, which he is named after.  I used some old Merino Style I had in the stash, so he’s soft & sweet.

watching the rain

This pattern is Frances The Charismatic Monster.

Then there’s Greeny Maddox

He’s slightly big & dopey but loves everyone around him.  He also thinks  the Toy Story movies are the greatest ever (Rex is his favourite).  I used some beautiful Araucania Limari (alpaca, silk, merino – yum) I bought on clearance at Tuesday Morning & while I could have saved it for a scarf or something, I decided it should be a big green monster instead.  He was going to be for one of my nephews but, while this is such soft yarn, it’s not great for a messy 4 year old.  So now he’s my hugable monster

This pattern is Maddox The Mischievous Monster.

Finally these guys:

They are the intellectuals of the bunch & sit around discussing their relatives, the polar bears.  I used some Comfy in the stash & are going to my youngest niece for Christmas.

Both are from the pattern Herman the Enigmatic Bear.

I should work on other Christmas presents but honestly I can’t stop making these guys.  While I’m feeling a little better, my brain is still fuzzy so these lovely pattern fit the bill.

 

An ode to two kitties I haven’t met…

…yet

Calvin & Ripple Socks

Started: September 20

Finished: Oct 4

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Mediumweight End – no idea what color it was suppose to be but I love it.

Pattern: Calvin & Ripple by Cristi Brockway

Needles: size 1.5US circ – magic loop

Notes:  This is how I got my sock mojo back.

I manged to finish these in 2 weeks, which used to be normal time for me.  Of course I did little else, knitting wise, but these were so worth it.

I may have a new fave sock pattern.

This is a wonderfully unique sock pattern – one toe up, one top down, different stitch patterns for the front, the same stitch pattern for the back of both heels

And believe it or not, I enjoyed the toe-up sock more.  Maybe it was the very fun Calvin stitch pattern (it’s the one on the left in these photos), maybe it was the fact it was the first toe-up I enjoyed (Judy’s Magic Cast-On & doing Magic Loop instead of dpns played a significant reason for that), whatever the reason, I loved it.  While the Ripple pattern is lovely as well, I couldn’t keep the stitch pattern in my tiny brain – even to the very end I had to keep tinking back every other row because I would mess up somehow.  Still they look so lovely together – I never have had so much attention paid to my socks at work.

I didn’t really plan to use similar colors as the pattern – though it makes sense for a couple of orange kitties.  There’s not much more I can say about the yarn that hasn’t been said before by me or others – I freaking love love love Socks That Rock.

And am I over my toe up phobia?  Well I started another pair of Calvins for a holiday gift for my mom – what do you think?  :)  Thank you Cristi for such an awesome pattern!

 

Yet another fiber fesitval this year…

Oregon Flock & Fiber was last weekend, the 4th (and last I believe) of the fiber/knitting/yarn festivals I’ve been to this year.  I almost didn’t go. Saturday was an exhausting day for me – working 6am-3pm then heading to the outdoor Pearl Jam show. It was great show, but I got very cold & sick of the drunk & stoned assholes that seemed to be surrounding me where ever I went – I was stone cold sober, much to my annoyance, which made it worse.  I’ve loved Pearl Jam for a very long time – even before Ten came out – but after this show & the one in MA I saw last year, I’m realizing I hate their fan base.   Anyway, we didn’t get home until about 1am so it was a very long day.  But when I got up on Sunday, it was a gorgeous cool crisp fall day & something out there was calling to me.

Alpacas!  I love alpacas & I missed them at Black Sheep Gathering.

They are just so cute.  I want one!  But, uh, that’s not in the cards at the moment.

And there were Angora bunnies there too!  I actually hadn’t been to a fiber festival that had them so that was a treat.  I wanted to hold them, but felt bad because I wasn’t actually going to buy one.  Still, they were so cute.

And of course, I had to hit Blue Moon.  I’m realizing, especially with my current sock project (1 down!), I could knit socks only with STR & be perfectly happy. Of course, there are a few exceptions – Lotus Yarn most notably and of course the company I work for!   I behaved – I mean, I am very lucky to live close by a yarn store that sells it anyway and it’s not like I didn’t already buy a lot this year at BSG & Sock Summit.  But the sale & mill ends were too much to pass up.

The lighter one is a mediumweight mill end – I haven’t done any research on the colorway but it really called to me.  The other two are heavyweight in Jubilation – I think this is going to be scarf/shawl for me – I’m even thinking a Clapotis since I wear my other one so much.  But I will probably wait until after Christmas to start it

And believe it or not, that’s all I bought at OFF.  My allergies were kicking in so I didn’t stay very long (note: going to a fiber festival when you are already feeling crappy from allergies is not a good idea).  But it wasn’t the only yarn I got this week.  Check this out:

Yes, you are reading that tag correctly.  Mink & cashmere!  And yes, it is a soft as you would think it would be.  This is all very animal friendly – you can read about it on the Great Northern Yarns website – so I won’t be getting red paint thrown on me.  And the price was great – a member of the Ravelry group Yarnthropology - my fave group I always read but never post in – had listed it as her current favorite yarn & I figured it would be a similar price to say, quivet (ie expensive as hell).  But nope, this 100 gram DK weight skein was $19.90 – the same as most good sock yarns.  I had to try it out. And it’s going to be a lovely cowl for myself – I can’t wait to wrap it around my neck.

And you know what I’m most excited about?  It’s finally fall in the Northwest!  Time for baking & wearing wooly items.  Of course, I’ll be sick of it in a couple of months, I’m sure, but right now I’m so happy to not be sweating to death.

 

Finishing FOs…and starting a new one

So this weekend was spent finishing a couple of projects.  It was a lovely cool grey Saturday, so it was perfect.

First was my biggest sewing project to date:

I made duvet cover for my bed!  And I’ll probably never do another one!

So, I hated the comforter on the bed – the fabric was a little rough & I was getting super tired of it – I bought it 3 years ago when we bought the bed.   When I bought Simply Sewing, I saw the pattern for the duvet & thought “prefect!” (after my first reaction of “12 yards of fabric? Are you kidding?”)  It’s not a difficult project when you read over it – basically 5 long pieces of fabric sewn together, then folded in half & sewn up again.  But…those pieces of fabric are LONG (especially for our king sized bed) – 105 inches in fact.  So first was the adventure of ironing the fabric & cutting it out while trying to keep the cat off the pieces since I had to use the floor.  Then sewing it together tried my patience.  That was a lot of cotton fabric, which is not light.  But it was worth it in the end, I even had enough for some pillows.

The fabric is from Connecting Threads – the other company I work for.  I saw the colors in the Twilight Frost collection & decided that those were the ones I wanted in my room.  Luckily, the fabric is really nice & not too expensive.    So I really love it – I’m trying to convince myself I sleep better with it on my bed.

I also realized, with this project,  it is unlikely I will ever quilt.

The other finished item is a pair of socks I’ve had on the needles for an embarrassingly long time.

Groovy

Started: April 3

Completed: September 19

Yarn: Handgefaerbt Merino Extra Fine (or as I like to call it, the “Other Pretty German Hand Dyed Yarn”

Pattern: Groovy Socks

Needles: Size 1.5US

Notes: No I don’t know why it took me so long to finish these.

The yarn is nice. The pattern is nice.  The first one I finished is nice.  I just couldn’t get motivated to work on the second sock.  I never used to suffer from Second Sock Syndrome but it hit me bad.  I finished one in, oh way back in April. I think I even cast on for the second right after I finished the first…and ignored it until Sock Summit.  Then I worked on it there & completed the heel…then I ignored it again.  Finally last week I picked it back up & finished it up.  And hey, guess what?  They are nice socks.

Mostly I wanted to finish them because I really wanted to start a new pair (I am going to conveniently ignore the other two socks with unfinished mates I have, as well socks for CoffeeBoy for now).  When Cristi stayed with me during Sock Summit, she made me promise to do a pair of toe up socks, especially after I learned Judy’s Magic Cast-On.  What better way to do it then with Cristi’s own pattern?

So this is my first adventure in a very long time of doing toe up socks (what can I say? I love my top down socks.) Judy’s Magic Cast-On made a huge difference – you know when people say they hate kitchner stitch? I bloody hate provisional cast-ons, which is what my other toe up socks started as (short row toes).  I am just an idiot when it comes to crochet hooks apparently.

The pattern I choose is Calvin & Ripple (although, sorry Ripple, I keep wanting to call it Calvin & Hobbs).  I freaking love the stitch pattern.  I still didn’t quite get the toe (forgive me, I did just a plain toe) but I’m having fun with it…partly because of the pattern, partly because of the yarn…it’s a Socks That Rock mediumweight mill end, no idea what color way it was suppose to be but I love it.  It reminds me of fall, which is officially starting tomorrow, (according to the calendar although Mother Nature isn’t paying attention because it’s suppose to be in the 90s again. UGH).  Anyway, I’m enjoying every bit of this sock…I haven’t decided if I’ll do another Calvin Sock or switch to Ripple…hey maybe that will solve my Second Sock Syndrome!

 

Very Silly Things

So I’ve been moody this week – just a lot of stress & negativity seems to be surrounding me and getting me down.  It’s nothing really horrible, don’t worry. I am usually a pretty cheerful person & I do my best to keep my annoyance & frustration to myself instead of taking it out on poor unsuspecting people…although it seems like I am the poor unsuspecting person on the receiving end of a lot other people’s negativity.  So when that happens I like to  make silly things to cheer me up, even when I have a ton of other projects I’d like to finish in this lifetime.

First there was the pickle…

Fredrick the Giant Pickle

Started: September 11

Completed: a few hours later

Yarn: a random partial ball – I’m pretty sure it’s Swish Worsted

Pattern: Christmas Pickle Ornament

Needles: size 4US Zephyrs

Notes:  So we have this pickle ornament pattern & I had to make it. Why? I have no idea, I don’t even like pickles.  Still, I added some eyes & Fredrick was created.  Actually, there is an accessory that several us in the office are making in different yarn weights, so I of course I had to have something to fit it. (Not trying to be mysterious, just some fun silly things we are doing. I love my job) Anyway, he’s sized up – worsted instead of fingering & on size 4s instead of 2s but everything else is the same.  He now sits on my desk & cheers me when I’m having one of those days.

A week or so ago, I got interviewed for the KP podcast again, talking about unusual knits (the podcast won’t be up for at least a couple of weeks). I got to talking about Mochimochiland & especially my Grass Guy.  Yesterday I was particularly down & decided another Grass Guy was needed.

Mo

Started:  September 17

Completed: September 18

Yarn: Another random ball, I think this is Cascade 128

Pattern: Grass

Needles: Size 8US

Notes: This pattern just cheers me right up.  I means it’s just so silly & quick – Mo is my third grass guy.  He is a lot bigger than his brother, the Original Grass Guy Who Never Got A Name But I Just Decided To Call Him Jo.

Plus, Mo has better eyes, now that I discovered a place to get plain black safety eyes.  I hate doing embroidery.   He’s squishy & soft so I think he’ll join Fredrick & Little Boo at my desk so I can something to hug on those bad days.

Then this isn’t finished yet because he needs legs.

he is scared of legs & wants to stay in the grapevines

Right now it’s just the Giant Grape but it’s going to be one of the Monster Chunks by Dangercraft.  I love those patterns as much as the Mochimochi ones so I think my nieces & nephews will get some of those for Christmas.

I have no plans this weekend so I am hoping to actually finish a big sewing project during that time   Not to mention some knitting projects to work on…but I have some movies and a new audio book to keep me going, not to mention a lovely rainy day tomorrow (before we go back up to the 90s – BOO!  I want fall!  I can’t even wear my new knitwear yet!).  Have a lovely negative free weekend everyone!

 

Finally…some FOs

Well, I ended up not taking pictures until today – lots of little things and some stupid family drama pretty much killed my desire to blog or even photograph my knits.  But now I have some fall items to show off.

First the Sunny Cabley Beret I mentioned in the last post

Sunny Cabley Beret

Started: August 26

Completed: September 5th

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Heavyweight Mill End

Pattern: Laurel by Jared Flood

Needles:  Size 3 & 7 US

see? I smile in photos sometimes.

Notes:  I love this hat.  This actually had started as a different cabled hat but then I picked up Made In Brooklyn and immediately had to make this one.  Believe it or not, this is the first big cabling project I’ve actually completed – what I mean is more than just doing a 4 stitch cable every six rows or so. Funny, because I love doing cables so much – keep your colorwork, your lace, I’ll take beautiful cables anytime.

And of course the yarn is a delight.  It’s a bit thinner than what was called for so mine is a bit more floppy but I don’t mind.  I did go down a needle size for the ribbing so it would stay on my giant head.

Be warned, if you have Made In Brooklyn, there is some errors in the pattern – nothing too huge but the chart key is incomplete.  I pretty much figured it out on my own, but there is now errata for it.

Next up…more fall wear:

My Wave

Started: September 4

Completed: September 8

Yarn: KnitPicks Gloss HW in Aegean, a little over 1 ball

Pattern: Wave Cowl

Needles: Size 9US

Notes:  I have been in love with this yarn since I first got to squish it a few months ago.  And the color…photos can’t capture the glowingness of this.

until I took this photo, I didn’t notice the short row stitches standing out that much.

My original intent was to make a scarf version of the Every Way Wrap from the new IK.  I did one repeat…and hated it.  So I decided a cowl was a way to go instead.  I don’t really like knitting scarves anyway.

This pattern was really fun – I’m one of those weirdos who love to do short rows (though obviously they can use some work). and I love how it turned out.

I look derranged.

Obviously, I would get more use wearing it like this in MA rather than out here (unless we get another crazy snow storm this year) but it’s still a lovely item to have around my neck when it’s chilly.

A couple more little projects in a future post…and now it’s time to work nonstop on Calluna.  After another brief heatwave, it’s hopefully going to be fall now and I am loving Calluna so much.

Funny, I realized I haven’t really been working on socks all that much.  My purse project is the same damn socks I worked on at Sock Summit, but I’m determine to slog through them before casting on for any more.

 

I love Fall

It is finally feeling like fall around here and I couldn’t be happier – there is just so much I love about this time of year.

I love the changing of the leaves….

I love wearing my knitwear again…

Laurel by Jared Flood...a proper FO shoot as soon as it finishes blocking

I love baking…

especially in my new apron

I love the color style in fabrics & yarn..

Little Pumpkins! From the other company I work for - Connecting Threads

And I love just being in the house watching the ever changing sky…

I’m going to continue to enjoy the official start of fall for the rest of the lazy 3 day weekend.

 

Little bit of this, little bit of that

I have had a serious case of startitis over the past couple of weeks in regards to my knitting projects.  Not finishitis unfortunately.  I think I have a WIP in every main knitting category now.  I just need to start a toy & some mittens/gloves to be complete! (No wait, that’s a bad idea.)

For example:

Socks:

The second of my Groovy socks that I worked on during Sock Summit & another pair of boy socks for CoffeeBoy which are honestly only worked on when it’s too dark for anything else…or I’ve had too much to drink.

Sweater:

My Calluna out of City Tweed.  I want to work on this, but the time or mood never seems right – too hot, not enough time to fully concentrate on rows that have 228 stitches & a chart to read, laziness.  It is going to be a lovely sweater though.

Hat:

A Sunny Cabley Beanie out of one of my Blue Moon purchases at Sock Summit.  It’s the pattern Clamber and I’ve only knit the brim so far.

As a side note, I really need to stop buying knitting books because it seems most of my projects are free internet patterns.  Sigh.  Although this week I ordered Made In Brooklyn.  Sigh.

Shawl/Scarf

The Prairie House Shawl out of Lotus Yarns Medusa.  I started this at knit night last week – it’s a good project for something like that.   Those are also the new Zephyr needles…I started this project with the Nickel Plated actually since I had just got a couple of sets. I had never tried them but  I didn’t really like them, for this project at least.  (I should also warn that I’m not a fan of knitting with metal needles & they were so heavy to me.)  Switched to the Zephyrs, which I like better – much lighter – but still prefer the Harmony needles overall.

Washcloth/Dishcloth

Started this for the World Record Breaking Knitting since it’s the only thing I could think of that I could use (short)  straight needles on.  Simplest knit ever – garter border, seed stitch for the inside.

To be honest, the knitting I’m most working on is a project for work which of course I can not photograph yet.  But I should be done this week, then it’s off to work on my multiple WIPs!

 

Sewing with the NOPOGal: the crossover blogisode

It was a lovely cool grey weekend (serious…NW girl through & through) and Fabric Depot had a big sale…and I had a long awaited sewing playdate on Sunday with a friend…what do you think I did all weekend?

First, the sale got me.  I seriously roamed around the store for like 2 hours, putting things in my basket, taking stuff out, trying to convince myself I do not need every single Amy Butler fabric they had, even if it was marked down.  Near the end of my wanderings, I ran across this kick ass fabric & knew it had to be a new bag for me.

It is now one of my top 3 favourite things I’ve made, it’s just so funky & fun.

At Sock Summit, I kept seeing these really neat project bags that several people I know bought…but I thought I could make something similar.  A friend found this really fun pattern & showed it to me so I decided to try it out.

I like them.  It’s great for hanging off my wrist to knit from – like at the movies or walking around, but I like my drawstrings better for actually carrying my knitting  - the top of the new one doesn’t close so if I stuff it in my purse, it gets all messy.  And yes, those are my Blue Moon buttons on there – I could not for the life of me find my entire pack of hand sewing needles to put an actual button on them.  I did finally find them, but now I kinda like having a good use for my Sock Summit flair.

Then I made a skirt – it’s from the Amy Butler pattern I made my first one from.  I figured, hey, may as well use some of AB fabric & try it out.

While I do like it, the fraying bit is going to take some time to get used to.  Hopefully it will look better after it actually frays.

I doubt I will actually make this pattern again – I didn’t enjoy it & probably could have done a better job on it.

I also probably should have not drank beer while sewing it up.

Mina still does not approve.

Then on Sunday, Carmel (that would be the NOPO Gal of the title) came over for a long planned sewing playdate!  I’m probably not the best person to show someone how to sew – I only started sewing a little over a month ago myself. But I gave it a go & Carmel made her first kickass rockstar bag.

How fun is this fabric?

She did a great job – I think I have her hooked.

We grilled up some yummy pizza with her boy (who spent much of the time chatting online with my boy – I don’t think he was excited about our girly craft time.) I have really gotten into grilling pizza – it is so much better than trying to bake it in the oven & even more fun with friends.  And beer.

Check one of our creations out (photo by Carmel)

mmmmm....bacon pizza....

You can read more about our creations on Carmel’s blog post!

So all in all, it was a great relaxing weekend.  I still have all this:

So many possibilities to ponder….