Monday, January 29, 2007

All the leaves are purple ...

and the sky is gray.

This is the beginnings of an Embossed Leaves sock, knit on the train to NYC this weekend. The leaves pattern is such fun to knit! I couldn't figure out the tubular cast-on, despite the best efforts of my sister-in-law, aka Master Knitter Kathy. So I used a regular long-tail cast-on and went up to size 3 needles after it looked tiny on 2s. It is still pretty small ... enough that I took it off the needles on the train to try it on. It's going to be a tight fit over the heel, but it went over so I decided not to rip it out. I'd like to make it bigger on the second sock, though. (Suggestions?)

My train-knitting experience did give me one thing to add to my list of must-haves for the travel knitting bag: scrap yarn in a contrasting color. All I had to put the stitches on when I wanted to try it on was the sock yarn itself, and it was not fun getting them back on the needles. But you probably already knew that.

Coming back on the train I decided to try to read the Aeneid (the new translation that's getting rave reviews in Aeneid circles!) instead of knitting ... I am still only partway into the introduction, so we'll see how that goes!

(And the sky really is gray. It has snowed pretty much every day since mid-January, when our up-til-then snowfree weather changed. The snow's up past our knees and the children are happy, at least ...)

Monday, January 22, 2007

Totally Tubular

Ta-da, the endless tube is done. Though it doesn't look that impressive in the pictures it's pretty much what I wanted. It is very warm, and long enough to tuck easily under my coat with the hood up. (The tube's hood – the coat doesn't have a hood, which was the whole point.) The only thing that's not so great is it's loose around my face (and I wouldn't have wanted it tight, or it would be tight up my neck) the cold air blows in. Also, when I wear it with my coat that DOES have a hood, the coat's velcro catches on the yarn bobbles and does bad things. So I shouldn't wear it with that coat. :)

I should post a picture of it off so you can see how it's shaped – I made it wider at the bottom than the top, so it would drape better around my neck. (Also because I kept changing my mind as I went along how wide it should be – luckily this yarn and the way it fits hide just about all imperfections!)

I'm glad I made this because I wanted to have it, and I'm using it, but it was a pain to knit. (Literally! I got Knitter's Elbow from this project) – I am now thoroughly sick of K1 P1, and the double-strandedness of the Astrakhan is a PAIN. (It was especially a pain when I misguidedly used it to do the E-Z sewn bindoff ... a complete nightmare!)


Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan, 4-plus skeins.
Pattern: Angora Furred Teddy Hood (minus the fur) from Knitters Stash, with some modifications: I cast on 110 stitches, increased to 120 somewhere in the middle, increased again another 10 or so stitches near the end. I stopped at about 20" so it wouldn't get too bulky around the neck, that seems plenty long.
Needles: US8 circular

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Future Prospects

Shawl for Fran?
Cable Pocket Shawl from KnitPicks
Pemberley Shawl
(from Mari's blog)
Victoria Lace Shawl
(mari did in worsted)
Cozy Lace Wrap from Knitty

Baby Projects:
Five Hour Baby Sweater (and also here)Lana Gatto
Daisy Baby Cardigan, by the Yarn Harlot in Knitty
Jacket With Moss Stitch Bands from Baby Knits for Beginners by Debbie Bliss.
Eyelet Ribbed Hat
(PDF)
Striped Cardigan from Debbie Bliss/Baby Cashmerino Book 2
Lillie's Little Sweater hooded, top down

Socks for my Mom
Hedera lacy socks from knitty
Waving Lace socks from Favorite Socks, by Interweave. Designed by Evelyn A. Clark
Donyale socks
Loksins socks

Scarves, etc.
Cashmere Cowl
Eve's Hooded Scarf (PDF)
Dayflower Lace Scarf (PDF)
Sylvia's Knitted Hood
IK Scarves (PDF)
Naima's Scarf (eyelet lace) (PDF)
Lopi Lace Scarf from Weekend Knitting

Sweaters
Cabled Sirdar Cardigan
Sesame Cardigan from Mag Knits
High Mesa Cardigan
Spin Craft Sweaters
Bridget Cardigan from Jo Sharp Hand Knitting Collection: Book Number Two
Dawn Brocco Cabled Cardigan (with collar)
The Braids Cardigan (Cabin Fever) (1400)
Tall Pines Cardigan Pattern (abundantyarn.com)
Casual Cables Cardigan -- Effectiveness by Design Leaflet S024 (1320)
Ribby Cardi from Chic Knits, with zipper!
Simple Cardigan from Canadian Living
Textured Knits, Julia Cooper
MS 155 - Pebble Cardigan
MS145 - Button Up Cardigan (DK)

Fiber Trends Options Jacket
Poet's Vest Pattern by Lorna Miser from Lorna's Laces
Jai (one-http://www2.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifbutton vneck cardigan, Berrocco 203
Encinitas

S024 Casual Cables Cardigan drops garnstudio 78-11 (p. 10 - muskat)
Pick-a-Pocket Women's Cardigan (very simple cardigan)

Linen V-Neck Pullover
Simple Tee

Other Things
Sirdar Bed Jacket

YARN:
Malabrigo (for My So-Called Scarf)

Trekking XXL


A new yarn from Classic Elite called Classic Silk. It is 50% cotton, 30% silk, 20% nylon. It has a slight sheen in sunlight and a tweedy non-wooly goodness rivaled only by Tatamy Tweed from Kraemer Yarns. It knits up soft, sure, but then… woohoohoo… then I disregarded the care instructions and stuck that swatch in the washer and dryer. It came out terry cloth soft. And drapey. And perfectly stretchy. Everything Cotton Silk wished it could be.

Books