and knitting

Allez Les Bleus!

I felt bad for poor Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, but I had a great time watching France beat Brazil last night. [Likely not as great a time as this fellow I snapped a photo of, but I did my fair share of celebrating.]

Various and Sundry Links - Special World Cup Edition - July 2 2006

- How to look like a WAG

- The Knitting World Cup is still going strong. Visit the blog to follow the squad's progress.

- Lana Grossa has World Cup sock yarn. I feel like I may have jinxed England and Brazil by ordering the yarn in their team colors, but what can I say, I liked their colors the best.

- Don't want to knit world cup socks? How about a soccer ball?

- JogaTV - The Chain is a genius combination of agency created and user submitted video. (Unfortunately, it won't let me link directly. Boo!)

- I've watched a lot of the World Cup on television, but I never tire of the Jose +10 ads (They also make it impossible to link directly, so click on Impossible Team.)

- Soccer-mad monks hit for missing alms-giving [via Newley Purnell]

- World Cup 2006 - Flickr photoset by s_st

pureknits!

It's difficult to keep a secret, so I'm happy that Yahaira has finally announced the opening of her new online knitting store, pureknits. I'm thrilled for her, and now I can blab about it all I want.

Her shop was the source of the Fable Handknit Pure Baby Alpaca that I used for the Aspen Neck Cowl. The baby alpaca was so wonderful that I recently placed another order for that yarn (in a lovely blue this time around).

In addition to Fable Handknit, she's currently carrying yarn from Habu and Tilli Tomas. She also has recycled silk and a house line of hand dyed bamboo. Make sure you buy lots of Amy, my namesake colorway!

Of course there are also cool patterns, knitting bags and more. Go check it out (and no, she isn't giving me a kickback for posting this)!

Project #34: Aspen Neck Cowl

I've been on a bit of a yarn shopping spree lately. During one of my online shopping expeditions I was lucky enough to be one of the first people to test out a new online yarn store called pureknits. You guys are going to like this shop (opening soon! It is now open, so go there and buy something!). Just three days later I received a gorgeous little bundle of pink and brown tissue paper containing a yarn I've been really interested in trying, Fable Handknit Pure Baby Alpaca. Alpaca [pdf link] is incredible! I don't believe I've ever touched a yarn so soft.

It's a well established fact that I have no self control when it comes to starting new knitting projects, so I cast on last night for the Aspen Neck Cowl, a pattern designed by the yarn line's founder, Andrea Tung.

(The pic below looks a little different than what is shown in the pattern because I'm knitting it inside out.)

The Project: Aspen Neck Cowl
The Yarn: Fable Handknit Pure Baby Alpaca in Sweet Pink purchased from pureknits
The Needles: 3.75mm 16" circular
Started: February 23 2006

Various and Sundry Links - February 24 2006

- I am addicted to Curling so had to get up to watch Team Fenson take on Great Britain Scotland early this AM. Congratulations on your bronze medal, Team USA! I would much rather have that sort of jewelry than this [via].

- Project Runway's Nick Verreos is going to be dissecting the Ladies Figure Skating outfits on today's episode of Olympic Ice. I hope Sasha Cohen doesn't do anything drastic. Perhaps she could aspire to be the next figure skater to go topless.

- Anti-Factory [via & via] - Clothing handmade from vintage recycled wool, angora, cashmere, jersey, and other fibers. I really love the belted urchin sweater.

- A Hallowig look-a-like ends up on the runway at Prada.

- All-out civil war in Iraq: Could it be a good thing?

- Will 2006 see lots of little Bodes, Sashas, or Renas?

- Because this is a knit blog I am contractually required to link to something cat-related at least once per year [via].

- What's inside your handbag - circa 1945

- Dapper brings you fashion industry news from many different sources. We automatically build a personalized style section for each reader (the Flickresque missing E in the URL means they are web 2.0).

- Guadaloopy

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?

nitpicks

I read this morning that knitpixie was changing their name to kpixie. Here's an excerpt from the explanation on their site.

We were approached by a large craft corporation who felt that our store name sounded too similar to theirs and they threatened legal action. We decided to change our store name in order to avoid a lawsuit.

I read elsewhere that the corporation in question was Crafts Americana, owner of KnitPicks.

As I posted in the thread about this on Knitter's Review, I understand that trademark law is such that you have to vigorously defend your trademark. However, I would think that would apply only when there is a legitimate concern about confusion. Sure, spoken aloud, the names sound similar, but I would imagine most people find out about their stores via the web or a printed advertisement. This just seems like bullying to me and I won't be purchasing yarn or knitting patterns from knitpicks again.

project #27: in from the cold striped scarf

I woke up on Sunday feeling quite out of sorts and lazed about for most of the day, catching up on my Netflix queue. First on the list, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965); which had been languishing on top of my television for many weeks (months?). It took me awhile to become taken in by Richard Burton's character, but was a good way to wrap up my homegrown cold war film festival.

Next up was Grand Hotel (1932).

Grand Hotel... always the same. People come, people go. Nothing ever happens.

This film is brilliant -- one I could watch over and over (and have). Highlights for me: a fresh young Joan Crawford as Flaemmchen and of course, Garbo. The two Barrymores aren't exactly slouches either.

At some point I came to a realization that I had to have some knitting to show for all that time spent on the couch so started this new scarf. I chose a scarf because it's the perfect bus knitting project for me, and inspired by this free pattern from Crystal Palace, chose to make a striped chevron scarf.

The chevron pattern is very simple to remember, but I wanted to have something to refer back to should I get distracted. So, I wrote up my own instructions and transferred it to a text file that I could load it onto my ipod.

I'm using the Merino Style yarn I had purchased but rejected for an earlier project. There's nothing really wrong with this yarn (though one skein did have some splitting issues). It's just very utilitarian and I can't say I really enjoy knitting with it. The resulting fabric is rather stiff. This might be due to the pattern, or perhaps the gauge I'm using. It's ok though, because I would rather have a somewhat dense fabric to keep those cold winter winds away.

The Project: in from the cold striped scarf (inspired by Shimmer Chevron Striped Scarf)
The Yarn: Knit Picks' Merino Style in Coal and Vanilla
The Needles: Crystal Palace 4mm
Started: October 9 2005

stash enhancement

Check this out! Instant stash!

The lovely Yahaira was selling off some yarn and I took advantage of a grab bag she had up for sale. I did not expect that she'd throw in extra bonus goodies. What a treat!

Apologies for the craptastic photo -- I took it with my silly camera phone.

solitaire

OK, I should really be posting about Orangina and how it's all finished and gorgeous and blah blah blah. BUT, instead, I have to admit it isn't quite ready. I made a silly mistake on the shoulder seams and just haven't been able to face the task of fixing them.

Instead I will distract you with my most recent knit-reated shopping -- Rebecca 30 and GGH Sollitaire to make the cute sweater with eyelet pattern (pattern #33). I'm just not so sure the yarn is the right color for me. I hadn't noticed until after ordering that it was a heathery sort of grey, and am worried that it won't look so fab with the lace pattern. I may have to re-order. If I do, that will give me time to get over myself and tackle learning how to decipher those lace knitting charts. To help me with this, I found a great resource for charted lace knitting.

I made that purchase to reward myself for finishing up a couple of projects at work. I'm also starting my weekend a bit early today and heading to the brand new H&M that is opening at the dreaded Sprawl of America. I'm more excited than I should be about this. My sister got me hooked on H&M when she lived in Glasgow and we've been waiting a very long time for H&M to come here.

gorgeous

 

Isn't this some of the most beautiful yarn you've ever seen? And such lovely packaging. It's like receiving a present.

I ordered it from A.L. de Sauveterre for a swap I'm doing. Sadly my reading comprehension was lacking and I failed to notice that it was fingering weight yarn. I tried a mini swatch to confirm what I feared, that it wouldn't work for the project (another badonkadonk bobbles scarf)

 

All is not lost. I just ordered some Noro Cash Iroha for the swap project.

My only dilemma now is what to make out of this gorgeous handpainted alpaca yarn. I'm hoping for a project that isn't too fussy, so I can take it with me on the bus. Any ideas?

where [blank] meets [blank].

I noticed something odd while I was looking at one of the brochures that the Walker Art Center produced to flaunt their new building and re-opening.

Where Johns meet Yoko?

Doesn't the term Johns remind you of something else? Maybe they are trying to be cute, but, erm, it's not working.

Anyway, moving to the topic that brings you here -- knitting.

My Knit Picks order has arrived! Shine seems lovely, and I'm happy to report has none of the fuzz worries indicated by the color swatches shown on the site. The Violet yarn I ordered is quite definitely a screaming purple. I'm not so sure that it's the right color for the project I purchased it for, but I'll find a use. The Andean Silk also seems really nice. They are all just headed to the stash box for now.

I also received the yarn I ordered from Hello Knitty, so I can continue my battle with the project that shall remain nameless. I seem to have attached the failed sleevelet strap thingies in such a way as to render them impossible to remove. I'll spare you a photo of the mess I've created. Here's hoping I can solve the dilemma this weekend. It's going to be interesting!

I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend of knitting and reading. I just need to remember to lay off the sauce while I knit. Here's a cautionary tale from Shelby Knits.