and knitting

project #29: lost in interpretation scarf

(update 1/21/06) I decided I hate this, so am ripping it out.

The Project: Lost in Interpretation Scarf (Lost in Translation scarf pattern from Mother of Purl)
The Yarn: Karabella Gossamer (not linking to the Karabella site because it's a crappy, annoying Flash site) in Olive with Copper purchased from KPixie
The Needles: 4.2mm bamboo (from Japanese "dollar" store)
Started: November 2005

I seem to have a pathological need to have many, many projects going at once, so have cast on for another scarf. This yarn had been on my wish list for quite some time and I finally ordered it when I got a sale code from KPixie.

Gossamer is such a beautiful, but fiddly, frustrating and weird yarn. I first tried it with the Elizabeth I Town & Country scarf pattern, as it seemed appropriate to cast on for this whilst watching The Virgin Queen on Masterpiece Theatre. The Elizabeth I patterns are great, but to get a nice fabric I had to use a small needle size and the SKPs just weren't happening for me with this yarn and a small needle.

I remembered that the so-called Lost in Translation pattern was pretty simple -- just a bunch of YOs and KTOGs, so turned to that. Obviously, the yarn I'm using is very different than the original. I'm also not convinced that the pattern is identical to that shown in the film, but it is turning out quite nicely.

This pattern is nice, but I honestly cannot say the same for the rest of the patterns in Mother of Purl. Most of them are, quite frankly, disturbing! It's also annoyingly filled with celebrity name-dropping. I think a better name for this book might be Mother of Hurl. I guess I'm not the target audience for the book.

supermodel

Napoleon's Minister of Propaganda, Angela, has posted photos of the sweet little guy wearing the scarf I made for him. Isn't he the most adorable little world conquerer you've ever seen?

I've said it before, but you should also check out Angela's jewelry. Her pieces are gorgeous and she has some great holiday bonus goodies right now.

ARGH

I cast on for the Anthropologie-inspired capelet yesterday morning and was hopeful that I'd be able to finish it up tonight.

Everything was going well and I really loved the way the yarn I was using (some really cool mystery yarn I picked up from Yahaira) looked knit up in the pattern. Sadly, my estimation skills are not so hot and I just didn't have quite enough yarn to finish the project.

So, I ripped it out.

I'm very disappointed, but I guess it happens to everyone at one time or another. At least the whole top down raglan makes sense to me now and I still have this pretty yarn. Maybe it will work for a one skein wonder. Now I'm going to shut off the computer and have a well deserved glass of beaujolais nouveau.

Think pink if you want that quelque chose! project #25: finished mittens

The Project: Mittens - pattern by class instructor
The Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in Rose - purchased at Needlework Unlimited
The Needles: 4.5mm bamboo DPNs - Crystal Palace
Started: October 1 2005
Restarted: November 11 2005
Finished: November 24 2005

Thankfully, I am almost over whatever it was that was ailing me for the past two weeks and am here to post my finished mittens. It took three mittens to do it, but I ended up with a pair that are well matched in size and form. I finished up the last thumb this morning while watching the beautiful Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face. It made me think of a lovely Thanksgiving day I spent in Paris seven long years ago. Sigh... such happy memories.

I'm off now to assemble the green bean casserole. Happy Thanksgiving!

hung up

Well, I am nearly finished with mitten number two. Though not totally obvious in the photo, it seems that my gauge and ability with the DPNs improved dramatically since the first, and I'm going to have to make mitten number three. At least I really am enjoying the process of knitting with DPNs.

My power color is TAN?

Your Birthdate: March 25

You excel at anything difficult or high tech. In other words, you're a total (brilliant) geek. It's difficult for you to find people worth spending time with. Which is probably why you'll take over the world with your evil robots! Your strength: Your unfailing logic Your weakness: Loving machines more than people Your power color: Tan Your power symbol: Pi Your power month: July

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

I saw this over at Zeneedle (and elsewhere) and had to play too. My favorite part is where it says that I will take over the world with my evil robots! They must have known that I recently ordered the adorable knitted toys booklet by Jess Hutchison. I can't wait to knit my very own evil (and cute) robot!

would ya just watch the hair

So, I finally cast on for mitten number two and was thinking that perhaps I should jazz up the cuffs a bit.

What do you guys think of this?

 

Joke. Joke. Somebody posted about this giveaway on one of the knitboards, and being a sucker for free stuff, I had to fill out the form and get some too. Now what do I do with it?

enough with the redhead already

I saw on The Knitterly Ways of Pink Acrylique that the IK winter preview has been posted.

Teva Durham's Brilliant Retro looks to be quite promising, but wouldn't it look better if the model wore a proper bra? Get thee to Nordstrom, young lady.

Also, enough with the redhead already!

At least there aren't any knit trousers, like you can see on this poor victim of knitting gone terribly wrong.

Comeback! project #26: tubular camisole

The Project: Tubular Camisole - pattern by Glampyre Knits
The Yarn: GGH Solitaire in Charcoal purchased from Knit Happens Online (The knitting store with the speediest shipping ever!)
The Needles: US2, 3 and US6 circular needle 24-inch
Started: September 30 2005
Restarted: October 30 2005 (original was too big)
Finished: November 10 2005

That pesky last bit of ribbing took me more than a little time to finish because I've been a bit under the weather (I'm partial to trends so am thinking it must be the avian flu). When wacky video clips and my carefully crafted Music to Knit By playlist* failed me, I had to bring in the big guns -- music from NFL Films. There's nothing like some rousing Copland-ish songs to get a girl in the mood for finishing a knitting project.

Truthfully, I still have to do the straps. I'm trying to decide what to do for those. I'm thinking perhaps a thin strap with a ribbon woven through eyelets. Straps or not, I am really happy with this project. It may very well be my favorite knit I've finished so far. Stefanie's pattern is well crafted and gave me a bit of exposure to short rows. My only folly was that I chose the wrong size the first go around. At least I plowed through try #2 fairly quickly.

Now I just need to decide -- new project or WIP. Hmm...

*Music to Knit By
Serge Gainsbourg - Shu Ba Du Ba Loo Ba
Blossom Dearie - I've Got Your Number
Takako Minekawa - Fantastic Cat
Les Rythmes Digitales - Hypnotise
Pizzicato Five and 808 State - Trailer Music (808 State Remix)
Madonna - Hung Up (Radio Edit)
Tommy february6 - Hey Bad Boy
HALCALI - ギリギリ・サーフライダー
Bebe - Corre
M.I.A. - Galang
Public Enemy - Can't Do Nuttin' For Ya Man
Sugarhill Gang - Apache
Willie Hutch - Theme Of Foxy Brown
Lee Morgan - The Rumproller

fall back

I don't know about you, but I wish we could just stay on daylight saving time forever. It's so depressing to leave the office and see a pitch black sky. It also makes it difficult to photograph my knits in progress.

Here's an in progress shot of my tubular camisole. My sister/knitting advisor strongly urged me to take it off the needles and try it on so that I wouldn't be disappointed about the size. She was right -- my first cami was a bit too large. So, I restarted it on Sunday and am now one pattern repeat away from the ribbing. Woo hoo!

**Update**
I brought this project with me when I took the train to the dreaded Sprawl of America on Saturday afternoon. I am now on the ribbing section. Perhaps I'll finish it today and be able to wear it to work tomorrow!

**Update part two**
Still 1.5 inches of ribbing to go and my hands are aching, so I don't think I'll make my goal of finishing it tonight. I am making a solemn vow to never again use metal knitting needles. At least there is the distraction of a fun Joan Crawford film (No More Ladies), which has some excellent lines and a character who crochets.