Yarn vs. Clothes

Yesterday, I finally visited a new yarn store near my house called The Red Purl. The store is small yet cozy, the yarns are gorgeous and the owner was very friendly to me. Lots of hand dyed yarn like Fleece Artist, Peace Fleece, and Lobster Pot (all yarns I've heard fabulous things about but never got to know up close and personal). Feast your eyes on my booty (not my culo but the yarn people)!





Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in Uptown and some Peace Fleece Pyho Mnpa in Shaba Green. I've knit with the this yarn before and I was very disappointed with the wear of it (remember these socks?) Well now they have a hole in them.



I knitted these socks two and a half years ago and after just a few months, they got holes in the heel. I grafted those holes but they still kept coming. This hole is probably the third one on this pair of socks, which kind of pisses me off (being expensive sock yarn and all). So why did I pick up this same yarn yesterday? Because the colors are phenomenal! And though the yarn does not wear well on my feet, the yarn is sooooooo soft. Maybe for the safety of this future pair of socks, I should regulate them to being house socks or bed socks. Too soft to wear in boots in the cold Indiana winters but just perfect for wearing while knitting by the fire, sipping on some hot chocolate or tea.

The Peace Fleece is nice too. A 70/30 wool/mohair blend that is tough as nails yet soft and squishy. The store owner showed me a hat she made out of this yarn and told me that the hand really softens up when you wash it. Sure enough she was right! I just picked it up because the green was so fresh and lovely. I'm not sure what I'll do with this one. Sometimes you just buy things because they make you happy and that's what I did.


Yarn vs. Clothes

Which brings me to my next discussion topic. This past Friday, I was at my desk thinking about knitting (actually, work is where I get most of my ideas for this blog) and thought about women and fashion. Knitting magazines and pattern books are largely influenced by current fashions. Where as in most men spend their extra money on gadgets, video games, or sports gear, typically, women spend whatever dispensible cash they have on appearance: hair, nails, tanning, and of course clothing.

Growing up in New York City has definitely influenced my fashion sense. I remember practically every other weekend my mom, little sisters and I would go to the mall to shop. Sometimes we would buy something, and other times we would just walk around, look at the styles, and finish off our day at a nice restaurant (needless to say my mom went broke doing that but we were spending time as a family). However, since I have become a knitter, my shopping excursions have become less frequent as I have forsaken fashion and replaced it with yarn or knitting related items. I am so for real when I say I haven't been shopping since Christmas. And even though I've been telling myself, "Kelly, you really need to get yourself some new Spring pieces to keep your wardrobe fresh and interesting." I dismiss that thought with, "I don't have enough money right now" and leave it at that.

Nowadays, past food, shelter, and gas for my car, the only thing I'm concerned with is collecting more yarn for my enjoyment. However, I think it's rather funny that I would spend $24 on some hand dyed sock yarn but think that would be an outrageous price for a button up shirt? I would never spend $35 for a sweater from Banana Republic but I would spend that much on yarn for a sweater and tell myself "Man, this is a bargain!"

I mean lets face it. $24 for a pair of socks is outrageous in an economy where you can get 15 pairs of socks for that same price. I guess the point of this whole thing is I realize that my spending habits when it comes to yarn and clothing have changed. Frankly, I'd rather spend $24 on some yarn than $24 on a shirt. Does that mean I'm weird and have lost all my fashion sense? Have you as of late lost all of your style for the sake of knitting? Do you ever think about these things? Let me know what you think about yarn vs. clothing.


Playing Catch Up

Oh yeah, I've been knitting too:





I finished the Back to School Vest from Fitted Knits and have started some toe-up socks out of the Lorna's Laces I scored from Susie. The sock is coming along great, the vest, however, is not my favorite. You see, the vest is too short on the bottom. I know the simple solution is to just cut out the bottom and add some more ribbing, but I'm feeling lazy right now and it's already spring so it's not like I need to have this vest right now. Besides, I'm already psychologically done with it.

And finally, some Lion Brand Yarn:



Two weeks ago I was in a JoAnn's and saw this on the shelf. I have never seen it before and I only bought it because I did not believe that JoAnn's was capable of selling anything but acrylic. The yarn is pretty basic but gorgeous. Called Fisherman's Wool, it's 100% wool, worsted weight, 8 oz, 400+ yards and cost about $9 USD a skein, making it an even better value than Cascade 220. The only drawback is that it only comes in two colors: the cream above and a dark brown color but there are enough dyeing tutorials online to remedy that. I knitted up a swatch and plan on making the Tyrolean Stockings from the Fall 2007 issue of Interweave Knits. I can't wait to get that started!

That's all for now. Today I'm planning on doing nothing but knitting and watching The Shield. See ya!

Nothing Much

I know I've been absent these past couple weeks but I find it rather amazing that despite that, I seem to get over 400+ visits every week! (What? Don't act like you don't have a hit counter on your blog.)

Anyway, I have been knitting but I'm too lazy to take any pictures of them right now. Since Sunday afternoon I've been nursing my boyfriend to back to health. He caught the flu from someone at work and he's been spuring out all kinds of evil from every orifice of his body. Poor thing! But this is what a woman does for her man.

It's finally getting warm in Indiana. Last Friday it actually hit 80 degrees F (26 C) and let me tell you the freaks sure come out once the sun decides to bath us in her glory. Pum pum shorts, sandals, tank tops, and dish rags for skirts have all made their 2008 debuts. And though it's hotter now, it's still not warm enough for me. When I say I like hot, I mean I like HOT (90 degrees F, clear sunny skies and humid). I know I'm strange, but I attribute it to my heritage. Guyana is pretty much the rain forest you know.

And while I'm hear, I might as well ask you all a question. I'm planning on going to Stitches Midwest this August and I thought it would be a good idea to walk with cash (because if I use a credit/debit card I will over spend). Now I know that if I ask you guys "How much should I bring?" all I'll get are a bunch of "Well it depends" responses. What I'm interested in is this: If you are going to a fiber fest this year, how much do you plan on spending? What are you planning on getting? Do you like taking credit/debit cards or cash? Let me know!

That's What Friends Are For

Hey everyone! This weekend so far has been great. I've been meaning to share this with you so here it is.

A couple of weeks ago, two friends of mine that just got married last year came by and gave us a housewarming gift.





Aren't they sweet? Some lovely Jiffy from Lion Brand Yarns. I'm thinking this shall become another crochet blanket (maybe for when they have their first baby in a couple years, who knows). However, the framed scrapbook page was most meaningful to me mainly because it shows that our friends took the time in being thoughtful of their gift to us. In other words, we were worth their time. It almost makes me cry thinking about it.

Receiving their gift made me think about growing up and moving on. As you all know, I just graduated from college last year. Though that was a great time in my life, in terms of my career, nothing exciting has happened since. It makes me sad, but all I can do is send my resume out to prospective employers and hope for the best.

But then I talk to my friends and they tell me things like, "We're getting married" or "I'm going for a job interview in New York and I'm hoping they hire me." In other words, people are growing up and moving on, and I'm having a hard time coping with it.

I mean logically speaking, I know that getting married to the love of your life and starting a new career is exciting and good for everyone. But still, deep down inside, I just wish we could all be together forever. The comfort of having a strong group of friends around you all the time is really enticing but that will never happen. Life is too dynamic for that and change is inevitable.

Has this ever happened to any of you guys? How did you deal with separating from all your college friends or moving on from one place to the next in your life? As you can see, I'm going through a transitional phase in my life and I guess I need some assurance from someone, somewhere.

And this is where the sad-fest ends. I hope I didn't bring you all down today.

WIP it Good!

As promised, here are some WIP's of mine.





A simple ribbed sock made out of Yarn Hallow Yarn. It's a sport weight so it is knitting up rather quickly. This past Monday I had to go to my monthly departmental meeting at work and decided that was prime knitting time (seeing that they usually take up a whole hour). I got most of the leg done and got working on the heel the next day.





This is the Back-To-School u-neck vest in Fitted Knits by Stephanie Japel. I started this thing last Thursday and I'm almost to the armholes! Super fast, satisfying, and pretty. I got the yarn from Purl a couple weeks back (remember?) and it's nice to work with too. Plus the cheerful color brightens up my evenings while I knit on it.





Last, the spring lace scarf is done. I started it way back in December after Christmas and finished it like 3 weeks ago. I hope you like my amateur photography skills.





I'm pretty proud of it. It's light, warm, and beautiful. I made this one up, though it is not original. See I found the lace motif here and decided it would look so much better as a scarf. Three months later it is done, just in time for Spring weather.

Spring Cleaning

I have finally decided that the only way for winter weather to go away is if I put away my winter clothes. This past weekend I did a lot of laundry, in particular of my hand knits and many delicate store bought items. As you can see they have since taken over the floor space in my living room and now are dry enough to be stored in Rubbermaid bins for the warmer months ahead. Thank God!

My only fear are moths. As you all know I just moved into this house, and I'm not sure if I have them, but I heard that if you just throw some cedar chips or some dried lavendar satchets into the bin with the items, they should be hole-free when it is time to wear them again. Is this true? Please let me know.



As you can see I have also gotten bitten by the crochet bug. This is a giant granny square from what I understand. Lots of double crochets, chaining 3 or 5 or 6 stitches where appropriate. You get the idea (if you don't, well, ask a crocheter). At present, this blanket is good enough for a baby, but I really would like this to cover an adult body.

What has propelled me to learn this technique is the pure interest I have in granny squares. I have to admit that I'm not very fond of the look of simple crochet. But the more complex crochet is really cool to look at and I find granny squares to be aesthetically pleasing. I shared my love for granny squares with a co-worker of mine and she offered to teach me how to do them (BTW, she also knows how to spin, so guess who will be learning how to spin soon!)

Because I knew the basics of single and double crochet, I picked it up fast and 3 nights later I had made about 10 squares. I soon discovered that granny squares are perfect for knitters like myself with tons of odd balls that can't grow up to be anything on their own, but are too much to be thrown away. However, the prospect of sewing hundreds (well, maybe not hundreds, but close to it) of squares for a blanket didn't look as appealing as it once did before. So I got some other random balls and started this blanket.



The rainbow yarn is a throwback. 300 or so grams of lana sedificada ("silky wool" or "silk-like yarn" to be exact) from Buenos Aires. As far as I can tell, however, there is no wool or silk content in this thing at all. I think it's really all acrylic. But let me tell you, the acrylic in Argentina is nothing like the stuff we get here in North America. It is soft, easy to knit with, and comes in THOUSANDS of appealing colorways every season (again, if your interested in making Buenos Aires your next fiber trip destination, refer to my Yarn Heaven post I wrote some years back).

The neutral yarns I bought 3 months ago from Joann. It's by Bernat and it is 70% acrylic, 30% alpaca. I couldn't believe that Joann was selling yarn with natural fiber in it so I got 1 ball of each color. The yarn is not the best quality out there, but it is soft and good enough for my purposes. Besides, Joann seems to be stepping up their game in terms of different yarns these days. Not only are they selling cotton, but I saw some 100% wool yarns that would be perfect for felting, and even some yarn that had bamboo in it. Needless to say, I was rather impressed.

So back to the blanket. This is my first attempt at crocheting a blanket. Let me tell you, this was done so fast, that I'm thinking the next person that needs a baby blanket from me, will have it crochet because it can be done in 3 days (if you get a large hook, of course). The only draw back I see about crochet is that it uses WAY more yarn than knitting does, so projects may cost more money than usual. Still, the speed in which something is made is ridiculous and I find that rather charming.

Anyway, that's all for today. Tomorrow will be some WIP's, some FO's, and of course more of my intellectual banter.

Look At What I Got!

Hey everyone! Thanks for the great feedback on my last post. It was an idea that kind of just developed as I wrote it. Anyway, since I was so serious last post, I decided to lighten things up a bit with some good ol' fashion yarn pr0n.

Last week as I was browsing my usual blogs, I fell upon Susie's blog and found out she was having a destash sale. At first, I fought the urge, saying, "I don't really need this stuff. Besides, I just wrote the post about yarn being much like designer hand bags and wouldn't that make me look like a hypocrite?" After a day of thinking about it, however, I felt that my purpose in writting the essay was not about scolding the knitting, or for that matter the crafting community, but more of an observation of how we knitters and consumers on a whole react to certain stimuli. It was then I decided, "Ah, what da hell!" and contacted Susie via e-mail to find out if she had sold the items that I coveted. Lo and behold, she hadn't and I placed an order IMMEDIATELY!!!! Two days later, I got this in the mail:





Some lovely Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Bittersweet and equally as beutiful Classic Elite Follies in some colorway I'm not sure of. Aren't they gorgeous?

As for the sock yarn, it has already been made into a ball and therefore needs a project assigned to it. Any suggestions? As for the Classic Elite, I looked on Ravelry and found out that the yarn unfortunately has been discontinued. I really don't know why. The reason being is first, the yarn is soft (a good mix of alpaca, wool and some synthetic material). Second, it is springy (which is due to the multiple plies and favorable twist). Third, I like the soothing quality of the color, which is rather odd seeing that I usually go for blood reds and deep purples. It is begging to become some type of cabled sweater (I have 18 70 yard skeins of this stuff). Maybe a cardigan? An aran? My own design? We'll have to wait and see.

Further into the box, I also stumbled upon this splendor:



What I had failed to mention in the beginning of this post is that Susie is the lovely proprietress of Perchance to Knit (also available at the Loopy Ewe). Personally hand dyed by Susie, the colors are right up my ally. BRIGHT, OBNOXIOUS, AND IN YOUR FACE!!! I LOVE IT!!! I have to admit, however that this skein was not apart of the original deal. Let's just say that Susie and I had some difficulty with making the sale (not any fault of her's, just my lack of understanding of how PayPal works). This glorious skein of sock yarn was placed in the package as a peace offering for the trouble. How freakin' cool is that?! Again, I'm not sure what this skein will be when it grows up. Maybe some plain Jane stocking stitch socks? Only time will tell.

That's all for now. I haven't posted any WIP's lately, but I do not want to overwhelm you guys (seeing that there are a lot for some reason). Therefore the pictures will be posted sporadically throughout the course of this week. Hope you like them.

Take care!

Yarn and Designer Hand Bags

Lately I've been thinking about yarn, consumerism, and desinger hand bags. This may seem odd to many knitters, seeing that knitting is seen as something being very "punk" in that it's totally non-consumerist and against being a clone of some big, evil corporation only concerned with taking your money as well as your individuality. However, in my opinion, kntting as of late has in many ways taken on traits of classic American consumerism.

My first set of evidence can be found in the types of yarns we use. Hand dyed yarns are very popular for their uniqueness and charming variations in every single skein. It is for this reason many knitters want to buy these materials to knit with. The desire to be unique and seen as an individual is strong in the knitting community, while consumerism works best when everyone buys and wears the same things. But on the flipside of that coin, isn't that need somewhat of a commonality between knitters, and therefore is some form of consumerism at hand? In other words, can't marketers use this "need" to push their products as the thing you need to acheive that individuality?

Second, look at the amount of yarn we all have. I believe in living simply, yet my stash is taking over my bedroom as you read this! Frankly, I don't need to knit like I need to eat or drink water everyday. But I do knit because I enjoy it. Still my need to live simply is overwhelmed by my obsession with buying and collecting yarn. I swear to you that lately I've been enjoying going on Ravelry, fantasizing about new projects, and cruising site after site of online yarn sellers MORE than the actually knitting that I'm doing right now. It seems sad, but I think buying yarn is just so gratifying. We're so starved for real mail (because we use e-mail so much) that whenever a chance to receive a package in the mail comes up, we jump right at it. And lets face it, sometimes your fantasies (whether knitting related or otherwise) tend to be a lot more interesting than reality.

And finally, mainstream ideas are entering the knitting industry. Case and point, many yarn companies like Lorna's Laces and Rowan are launching "green" yarn lines for public consumption this year. Now I've been living "green" since Noah was a boy, and there is nothing new under the sun. "Green" is just a new and more hip term for "recycling and living within one's means" something that has been going on for centuries and has recently became in vogue. What I argue is are these yarns necessarily more eco-friendly than other non-organic ones? They may be cultivated from completely organically grown sheep or cotton fields but aren't the finished products shipped in huge, gas guzzling trucks from yarn store to yarn store? And why are they usually more expensive than their conventional counterparts? Is it because the procedures in making the product aren't commonly used and therefore not as cost effective as say, acrylic? Or is it another marketing ploy, disguised as something beneficial to the environment, but really is just another means in which markerters use to separate you from your hard earned cash?

Here's where the designer hand bags come in. Many rich people and celebrities have the leisure and money to shop for days on end. Hand bags (as well as shoes) seem to be the downfall of many women. On average a designer hand bag can run you anywhere from $200 to $5000 or more each. And every season, women across the world clamor and squabble over the latest hand bag.

The reason these bags are so expensive is principally the amount of craftmanship that goes into one. The materials also play a factor, as many high priced designer bags are made out of leather, suede, and other exotic skins like crocodile and snake. Third, you are essentially paying for a trusted brand. That's why you will NEVER see a Louis Vuitton or a Coach bag sold at a WalMart. The clientele for such accessories simply aren't at WalMart. Furthermore, the companies that represent these brands would not want to tarnish it by selling their wares at discount stores anyway.

So the point I'm trying to make is that aren't hand dyed yarns much like designer hand bags? Both are seen as very unique, well made, hand crafted, exclusive and are more expensive than their more frugal, yet just as functional counterparts.

I means lets think about it. Red Heart yarn could work just as fine as Cascade 220 or Sundara Yarns in making an afghan for a baby or as sweater for yourself. However, Red Heart sucks, Cascade 220 is a good value but is not as luxurious as Sundara or for that matter, the venerable Wollmeise yarn.

It's the same with designer bags. Most women carry a bag filled with crap (chapstick, work related items, gum, one of your kids toys, food, etc.) that they feel they need close by. Though a plastic bag would work just fine, it is not very appealing. Buying a mid-priced bag from say Target or even Macy's would be nice but what you really want is the latest Fendi or Burberry bag to carry your most serviceable items as well as garner some compliments from your co-workers and closest friends.

In the end, knitters are much like their non-knitting consumerist counterparts. Yet we hide behind the notion that we are being "punk" or "anti-authoritarian" when it comes to big companies. I mean, don't get me wrong. A hand dyed yarn can't be massed produced like a Abercrombie sweater or Steve Madden boots but the fact that almost every knitter on Ravelry has at least 1 skein of Socks that Rock in their stash makes me think twice about how much we value the "punk" attributes in the knitting community.

Finally, I leave you with this note. In my opinion, yarn is much like money. They are both dangerous in that no matter how much of it you have, you always want more of it. To state it plainly, in the great words of the late great New York Rapper The Notorious BIG, "Mo Money, Mo Problems."

Primavera

Last year I wrote the Primavera pattern and published it on this here blog. After all the "ohhs" and "ahhs" from you guys, I put it up as a link on my sidebar. A couple of weeks ago I realized that this link was broken. Therefore here is the pattern, re-published on this blog, so that whoever would like to make it can. Pictures of the finished garment can be found by clicking the "primavera" link above. If anyone wishes to see more clear, close up shots of the garment, let me know and I'll do a re-shoot of it.


Primavera
By Kelly A. Chichester


Gauge: 6 stitches x 7 rows = 1 inch in stockinette

Needles: Size 4 US, Size 5 US (Both straight needles)

Notions: Crochet Hook, Waste Yarn, Tapestry Needle, Stitch Markers, Cable Needle (Optional)

Yarn: 6, (6, 7) balls of Cascade Yarns Pima Tencel (109 yards, 50% Cotton, 50% Tencel) in Color # 4084

Sizes: 34 (36, 38) inches around bust


Foliage Lace Pattern (Worked over 20 stitches)
Taken from Vogue Knitting Stitchionary, Volume One

Row 1 (RS): *K5, p2tog, k2, yo, k5, yo, k2, p2tog, k2; rep from * to end
Row 2 and all WS rows: Purl
Row 3: *K4, p2tog, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p2tog, k7; rep from * to end
Row 5: *K3, p2tog, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, p2tog, k6; rep from * to end
Row 7: *K2, p2tog, k2, yo, k5, yo, k2, p2tog, k5; rep from * to end
Row 9: *K7, p2tog, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, p2tog, k4; rep from * to end
Row 11: *K6, p2tog, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, p2tog, k3; rep from * to end
Row 12: Purl
Rep rows 1-12

Cable Pattern (Worked over 20 stitches)
Row 1 (RS): P3, K6, P2, K6, P3
Row 2 (WS): K3, P6, K2, P6, K3
Rep Rows 1 & 2 till the 10th row
Row 11: P3, Slip first 3 stitches on cable needle to the back, knit next 3 stitches, then knit 3 held stitches, P2, Slip first 3 stitches on cable needle to the front, knit next 3 stitches, then knit 3 held stitches, P3
Row 12: Row 2
Rep Rows 1 -12


Directions

Back:

1. Using Size 4 US needle, CO 102 (108, 114)
2. Knit 3 x 3 rib for 2 inches
3. Change to Size US 5 needle and knit 1 (3, 4) stitches then start row 1 of lace pattern to the end (Place markers if you wish to separate the selvage from the lace pattern and the repeats within the lace pattern. Makes things easier to remember and you can catch mistakes quicker).
4. There will be 1 (3, 4) stitches at the end of each row for selvage. Once you do the 5 rep of the lace pattern, just knit (or purl if on a WS row) these last stitches.
5. Knit the lace pattern in this fashion till piece measures 13 (13.5, 14) inches, ending on a WS row.

Armholes:

1. Row 1: (RS) BO 6 stitches, knit till stitch marker for beginning of second rep of lace pattern, do 3 reps of lace pattern (depends on what row you were on when you started the decreases for the armhole), slip marker, knit last 21 (28, 34) stitches
2. Row 2: (WS) BO 6 stitches, purl till stitch marker, do 3 reps of lace pattern, slip marker, purl to end. 90 (96, 102) total stitches remain.
3. Row 3: (RS) Slip 1 stitch, SSK, knit to stitch marker, do 3 reps of lace pattern, slip marker, knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1
4. Row 4: (WS) Purl till stitch marker, do 3 reps of lace pattern, slip marker, purl to end.
5. Repeat Rows 3 & 4 till 78 (84, 90) total stitches remain
6. Continue stockinette on armhole stitches, maintaining lace pattern in middle of back, till piece measures 20 (20, 21.5) ending on WS row

Neck:

1. (RS) K20 (21, 22), BO 38 (42, 46), K20 (21, 22)
2. Place 20 (21, 22) stitches on right side of neck on waste yarn to work on later.

a. (Left side of Neck Back):
i. (WS) Slip first stitch, Purl till end
ii. (RS) Slip first stitch, SSK, knit to end
iii. Rep these two rows till 16 (18, 20) stitches remain.
iv. Continue to knit till whole piece measures 21 (21, 22.5) inches in length
v. BO remaining stitches

b. (Right Side of Neck Back):
i. Row 1: (WS) Place held 20 (21, 22). Starting at neck, attach new yarn and purl back to armhole
ii. Row 2: (RS) Slip 1, knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1
iii. Row 3: (WS) Slip 1, purl to end
iv. Rep Rows 2 and 3 till 16 (18, 20) stitches remain.
v. Continue to knit till whole piece measures 21 (21, 22.5) inches in length.
vi. BO remaining stitches

Front:

1. With Size 4 US needles, CO 102 (108, 114)
2. Do 3 x 3 rib for 2 inches
3. Change to Size 5 US needles and knit 1 (3, 4) stitches then start 2 reps of row 1 of lace pattern, pm, do row 1 of cable pattern, pm, do 2 more reps of lace pattern, knit last 1 (3, 4) stitches at end of row
4. (WS) Purl 1 (3, 4) stitches then start 2 reps of row 2 of lace pattern, pm, do row 2 of cable pattern, pm, do 2 more reps of row 2 of lace pattern, purl last 1 (3, 4) stitches
5. Continue in this fashion, following cable and lace stitch patterns, until piece measures 13 (13.5, 14) inches ending on WS row

Neck (Left Side):

1. Row 1: (RS) BO 6 stitches, K28 (30, 32), BO 34 (36, 38), knit to end
2. Place stitches on right side of neck on waste yarn to be held of work later
3. Row 2: (WS) BO 6 stitches, P28 (30, 32)
4. Row 3: (RS) Slip 1, SSK, knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1
5. Row 4: (WS) Purl
6. Rep rows 3 and 4 till 16 (18, 20) stitches remain
7. Continue to knit in Stockinette till armhole measures 8 (8, 8.5) inches
8. BO remaining stitches

Neck (Right Side):

1. Remove held stitches from waste yarn back on to needles.
2. Attach new yarn at neck and purl back to armhole.
3. Row 1: (RS) Slip 1, K2tog, knit till last 3 stitches, SSK, K1
4. Row 2: (WS) Purl
5. Rep rows 1 and 2 till 16 (18, 20) stitches remain
6. Continue to knit in Stockinette till armhole measures 8 (8, 8.5) inches
7. BO remaining stitches

Finishing:

1. Weave in Ends
2. Sew pieces together
3. Iron garment to block it (if using wool, just immerse in water and lay flat to dry)
4. Wear and Enjoy!


So what do you think?

If You Don't Know Yet...

New Knitty is out everyone! Go and see. Lots to read and many patterns to choose from. I may do a review later. We'll have to wait and see.

Nothing Much

Hi everyone. I don't have much to say today so I thought some good ol' yarn pr0n was in order.

First things first. I got this yarn the first week I moved into my new home. I bought it online from Purl, a yarn store in chic Soho in downtown Manhattan (or New York City for those who don't know). When I first started knitting 4 years ago (wow has it been that long?) I went on a yarn crawl to every single yarn store in New York City that I could find. Purl was definitely on the list and let me tell you it was great. Even though the store is no bigger than a walk in closet, the yarns are gorgeous and the staff were friendly to me. Still the prices were way out of my price range so I didn't really get anything that day. However, I still cruise the site from time to time for some deals for some great yarns. I came across such a deal 3 weeks ago.



From left to right I got a skein of Rowan Big Wool for my boyfriend (he wants to make a scarf for me but based on his work load, I don't think he'll be getting to that project till next winter). The yellow skein is 1 of 3 of Cascade Quattro. I got the Fitted Knits book by Stephanie Japel last year and really wanted to make this vest. We'll have to wait and see for that one (seeing that I have so many projects in queue right now). The last ball is new from Jade Sapphire called Lacey Lamb. 800+ yards of gorgeous lace weight yarn. I bought it at full price but at about $19 a ball, I'm not complaining. This will obviously be a shawl for me. Which, shawl pattern, I haven't decided yet.



Last week, I got some yarn from Webs. They gave me free shipping to compensate for the situation that took place with my last order from them. I also ordered something bigger but that's on back order and when it comes in, I shall reveal it to you all. I purchased all Valley Yarns. This was their hand dyed sock yarn called Franklin and it is GORGEOUS! I love just looking at it and petting it and stroking it and caressing it (in other words, I REALLY like it).



I also got some much needed Eucalan and some yarn for felting. Again, Valley Yarns, but one called Northhampton. It reminds me of Cascade 220 but better. 247 yards, tons of cool colors, and $4.99 a ball are some facts I like about this yarn. Like Cascade 220 it's not so soft for next to skin wear (I'm pretty sensitive to wool) but it is perfect for thicker sweaters, toys, blankets, and of course, felting.



And I had to save the best for last. I finally got some stuff from the Loopy Ewe. I have never ordered from them before but heard so many wonderful things about the place. I couldn't resist this Chewy Spaghetti skein. The colors are like cheerful camoflauge. I love it.





I also picked up a skein of Perchance to Knit. This lady's stuff is PHENOMENAL. I love her color sense. So bright, in your face and beautiful. Many hand dyers use very muted and soft colors, which are nice but not really my thing. Perchance to Knit yarn is bold and I really enjoy it.

Oh yeah, I do have a FO to show.



I actually finished this baby blanket when the NY Giants won the Super Bowl back in February. I really liked how it came out. However, I tried wet blocking it and I haven't found a way for it to lay completely flat without having creases throughout the blanket. Plus, many people have mentioned that it is too small for a baby. I have to agree, but damn it, isn't it the thought that counts? Either way, I had fun doing it and next time around, will make sure it is large enough for a baby to use longer than his first month of life.

Sadness

I wanted to express to you guys some sadness. Last post I wanted to start a discussion about crochet vs. knitting, but I only got 3 comments about it. Still, I want to thank everyone that did participate (including Marly of the Yarn Thing podcast) and encourage the rest of you guys to continue the discussion. I'm really interested in what you all have to say about the matter.

Anyway, that's all for now. For those of you in the United States, don't forget to change your time up by 1 hour. I was kind of sad when I realized that we had to loose an hour today, but if loosing an hour means Spring will come sooner, I'm all for it! As always, happy knitting!

Some Knitting, Some Crochet, Some Remodeling

Hey everyone! I missed you all this past month. I have been checking in with your blogs (at least the ones I know of) from time to time but moving is really a challenge. Still, owning a home is like the American dream, and I'm happy to be living it!

Yesterday was fun. We installed our counter top, sink, faucet, and cabinets. I never done anything like this before but my boyfriend knew roughly what we needed to do. After 12 hours of work and 3 trips to Lowes, our makeshift kitchen now looks like this:





Pretty cool, huh? I know it's not the nicest looking kitchen, but it's functional for now.

And even though we've been living out of boxes for a month now, I have still found time to knit some things.



This new project is the Felted Clogs by Fiber Trends. Clog #1 for Nathan is complete with clog #2 on the needles. I used 2 different colored balls of Cascade 220 (even though I had two skeins of each color, I was too lazy to roll those skeins up into balls). I'm going for a varigated/heathered look. Thankfully, these are just house shoes and my boyfriend does not care that much about how they look.

Anyway, so here's an update on that lacy scarf I showed you a couple weeks ago.





The scarf is about half way done, I think. I only say this because when I began I had a baseball sized ball of yarn. Now I have about a golf ball size of yarn left. The project is easy and I have been taking it with me to work. But seeing that this is a spring scarf, and Spring doesn't seem to be coming anytime soon, I'll have a lot of time to finish this up before then.

Crochet vs. Knitting

Many of you who read this blog most likely also listen to the plethora of knitting podcasts now available for download on iTunes or other parts of the Interweb. One of my favorites is the Yarn Thing podcast by Marly. If you haven't listened to this podcast, please do, it's fun and even plays regular pop music you would hear on commercial radio. On Episode 27: Men at Work, Marly talks to a crochet designer named Peter Franzi of Hooker-Bear.com. Even though I enjoyed listening to the podcast, I felt that at some parts of the interview, there was some bashing of knitters, knitting and the manner in which the needlecraft industry in America has been treating crocheters lately. I understood because both Marly and Peter are avid crocheters. And they are correct when they say many of the crochet publications do not showcase modern designs for modern crocheters. But I still felt that there was some negative energy towards knitting that was uncalled for.

Now, I'm a knitter, but I do like some crocheted things. And as far as I'm concerned, I don't need to make my hobby a political issue or have it reintergrated into mainstream American culture in order to feel excepted or valued as something worthwhile. What I'm trying to say is I felt that this episode was trying to bring up the value of crochet by dissing knitting as a whole. And I don't think that is right. I'm not saying that crochet is not long overdue it's props. There are some lovely crochet items that I wish I could make but do not have the time or inclination to learn how. However, can't we just knit and crochet without making it a political issue or controversial subject matter? Who cares if the majority of American's believe knitting is still for grannies or crochet is always done with ugly scratchy 70's acrylic. You live your life the way you want to and I shall do the same.

That's all this time folks. I would love to hear from you about this crochet vs. knitting discussion. Do you think one is better than the other? Do you think crochet should be given as much attention as knitting receives from the needlecraft industry? Does it really matter? Let me know.

A Place to Call Home

So today my boyfriend signed his life away and bought a house:









Clearly, I am super excited about this. A bigger house means more room for yarn, right? The moving process will begin this weekend and end by the end of this month (because we do not want to have to pay another month's rent for March).





This house definetely needs some TLC, much like the other house we were looking at months ago.



If you are confused, let me inform you that this room is where the kitchen used to be. Yeah. Let me give you some time so that can soak in. Completely gutted, everything gone, start all over again type of kitchen.

Obviously we're planning on renovating this entire house. However, major renovations will begin this summer. For now, we're going to have to create a make shift kitchen so we can survive in our new home. Used appliances, second hand sink and countertops, peel-and-stick floor tile. In other words, we're trying to make the ugliest kitchen in America. Good thing it will be temporary.



I have no clever way to end this post, so I will say that's all for now. I'm going to be busy moving these next couple weeks, so you might not hear from me to much this month.

A Good Week

This post is going to be una mezcla (a mix) of things that have been going on lately.

Thanks

Last post I talked about the problems Webs was having with it's shipping department last month in it's monster end of the year sale. I didn't expect it, but the owner of the store, Kathy Elkins, left a comment on that post stating how thankful she was for my positive words. Now I'm not sure if she did a Google search of what people were saying about her store, or if she really reads my blog on a regular basis, but I'd just like to say thanks. Her kind words made me realize that this knitting blogsphere world is not as large as I thought it would be and a normal knitter like myself could impact the day of a more prominent knitter/businesswoman like Kathy. I thought it was cool.

FO's and Other Projects



I have finished the Lombard Street socks.



It took me a week to do a pair of socks, which is shocking because it usually takes me 2 weeks to do a pair of socks. The socks were done on a sport weight, so I only needed 48 stitches to go around my foot. I would have finished it sooner, but listening to back episodes of Lime and Violet has kept me on the computer searching for yarn rather than working with the stuff I already have.



There are so many pictures of these socks because I took these photos myself. I used my boyfriend's camera and instead of just giving up and accepting the pictures as they were I decided to play around with the camera and see what I got. I think these pics are pretty cool for a novice.

I've also been working on the pinwheel baby blanket.



I'm on skein 4 with one more to go. I'm not sure how I'm going to bind off for this but I think I want to do something decorative. Maybe use the bind off used in the Hemlock Ring Blanket by Jared Flood or something simple like a picot edge. We'll have to wait and see.



This scarf project I started earlier in the year. It's been somewhat hibernating because I was getting bored with it, but initially I enjoyed seeing the pattern develop. I got the stitch pattern from these socks and decided to reinterpret it into a simple scarf. I just took the stitch pattern and added a garter stitch border and voilá! A lovely light scarf for cool spring nights.



A thought

As you already know, I have been listening to the Lime and Violet show. The show is wonderful, to say the least. My only complaint, however, is how it is taking away from my knitting time. The whole week, I have spent more time surfing the net for new yarn to buy and projects to make, rather than working on the things I already have. In fact, listening to so much yarn pr0n almost made me buy some sock yarn this past Thursday night that I don't really need right now. Thankfully, my boyfriend saved me from myself.

So when I woke up this morning, I thought about how I was falling out of love with my current stash. I decided the best way to remedy this mood was to reorganize my stash. I confronted my stash, and organized it by weight, and I realized how many scraps of sock yarn I have. The more I organized, the more I realized that I have a lot of scraps that can easily be designated to some project. It kind of pissed me off that I had enough sock yarn scraps to make a couple pairs of adult socks (mismatched socks, but still that's kind of amazing). Then I began to look at the entire stash, and I realized that I have so much yarn that sometimes I can't look at it all. The strange thing is, the more I organized the stash, the more creative I was becoming in terms of getting rid of the scraps. I said, "Oh these colors look nice together for a baby hat." or "I could probably make some nice mittens out of these two colors."

Therefore, I have concluded that buying more yarn when there are so many more creative ways to just use the stuff I already have is the easy way out. I think it would be nice to challenge myself creatively by using what I already have. It saves money, it enriches my knitting, and of course gives me a challenge that I have been craving lately.

This post is pretty long and right now I want to get some knitting done. Also, the Super Bowl is tomorrow, and we're rooting for Manning (because the other Manning didn't make it this year). Lots of time to knit this weekend, hundreds of possibilities with the stash I already have. As always, Happy Knitting!