LoopTangle

I’ve started a new big knitting project, the Staghorn Cabled Tunic!  (Ravelry link)  I think my friend Kate will be joining me in this project as well.  Sort of a mini Knit ALong, since neither of us has ever KAL’d before.

This project is what I would call a jumper, and it’s basically a tunic with straps instead of sleeves, meant to be worn over a shirt and some tights or leggings. Since moving up to where winter is a real season, I’ve found I really love wearing leggings and boots in the winter, so that I feel warm, but can still run around freely and remember that spring is coming.

I have converted the pattern to be knit in the round, since I’m not too keen on the side seams, and I think it’ll have a better line when it drapes over the hips.  It’ll get a bit heavy, but I’m OK with that.

I’ve started swatching, like a good girl, and it makes me feel all wholesome.  The pattern has two different needle sizes, and the gauge swatch for one is in stockinette, and the other garter.  So if my first attempts don’t work, I will have to continue making two gauge swatches at a time.  Ah well.  I even washed the swatches and let them dry overnight!

The stockinette swatch and the bottom half of the garter swatch I knit “in the round” by moving the work back to the other end of the circular needle, and leaving a long piece of yarn behind the work.  Sort of like how I-cord is made, but without pulling the yarn tight across the back.  Since some of the garter stitch work will also be knit flat (the bodice above the armholes) I knitted the top half of the garter stitch swatch back-and-forth.

You may be wondering whether I have achieved the correct gauges.  Well, I haven’t yet screwed up the courage to measure.  That will be something to do after coffee and breakfast this morning.  :)

Here’s a link to my project page on Ravelry if you’d like to take a look there.

I attended last week/end’s Squam Art Workshops up in New Hampshire, and I’ve been trying to process it all this week.  It was just beautiful, in every way.  I was very focused on the workshop aspect of it beforehand, but what happened around the workshops was just as valuable and healing, and taught me more about living life.

I spent the first couple of days with a breaking heart, hoping against hope to see my Mom peeking out from around a corner, or from behind another knitter.  Rocklywold Deephaven Camp is just such a Her kind of place, and she would have been so delighted by all the workshop folks who were there.  Not to mention that the natural surroundings are within about an hour of where I was born and spent the first 9 years of my life or so.

New Hampshire is magical in the summer, in a very Fae kind of way.  The natural beauty dazzles, and the insects are truly impressive in their voracity.  And yes, I ate the faery food.  It was delicious.

After the first couple of days, I began to feel a strong connection and camaraderie with my cabinmates, and one evening’s entertainment related the bittersweet joy, sadness, growth, and humor of one woman’s experience with losing her own mother.  It was cathartic, it ripped out that painful little ball I keep shoved down inside, and it forced me to notice that other people hurt too.  Losing a person with whom you shared an uncanny connection happens to other people, and I hadn’t realized just how inconsolable I had been feeling for all this time.  And that’s OK, but the last thing my Mom would want me to be is miserable.

The following days I dwelled on her absence less, and enjoyed myself in the moment more.  I found that cliche, my happy place, in a very real way.  I learned about geometry and the rhythms of designing interesting patterns, other creative women shared wine with me, I communed with the lake and the sun.

I learned how to sew French seams, and an invisible zipper, and made friends everywhere I went.  I talked to strangers and tried new foods.  I had dessert at least once each day.  I was gentle with myself and listened to others’ stories and giggled and smiled and cried.  I dipped my toes in the cold, cold water, so recently snow or ice on the mountains.

I marveled at the beauty of the Luna moths that seemed to be everywhere, and at the tiny faery cities in the moss and lichen on stones and stumps.

I wore ridiculous outfits and accepted compliments graciously.  I gave compliments liberally.  I gave away a hat I made to my roommate, because I like her, and she lives in Boston, and OMG her head is going to be cold and I don’t want that.

I met the Yarn Harlot, mostly because I wouldn’t shut up about her and how I don’t do well meeting people I admire, and my roommate finally dragged her over to meet me, and we had a fun conversation where I didn’t refer to myself nervously as “we” a single time, and she showed me how to knit right from the stack of dyed silk cocoons I had just purchased.

Magic.

They didn’t allow cameras inside, but there was much rejoicing and picture-taking outside:

1. Goooood Yarn…, 2. Footless Sock, 3. Doing the Happy Tilli Thomas Yarn Dance, 4. Stitches Loot

Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.

Mom and I got a little high on yarn fumes.

The Stitches Yarn Market took up most of the top floor of the Cobb Galleria Convention Center in Atlanta.   This was probably the same size as all the Dragon*con vendor rooms put together.  Gi-gantic.

Unable to pass up a costuming opportunity, I dressed as Second Sock Syndrome.  (Viva la Single Sock Liberation Movement!)  Still haven’t finished casting on the second footless sock, but I wore my single sock proudly.  Only one person, the genius behind Creatively Dyed, commented.  She was awesome.  The lack of comments I chalk up to 1. visual overstimulus, and 2. polite knitters.

I particularly love that Mom and I apparently wore our favorite colors and then proceeded to buy things that matched what we were wearing, inadvertently.  Creatively Dyed’s SeaWool roving is spectacular.  Zoom in on my photo to really get into the goodness.  The photos on her website are very good, too.  I started spinning it up last night and it’s sooooo soft.  A little slipperyer (yes, that’s a word now) than the coarse Swalesdale I practiced on, so I’m having to get used to it, but the yarn has a gorgeous sheen.

The Loot:

• 8oz Creatively Dyed Seawool roving in the SR3 colorway
• 2 hanks Tilli Thomas Pure and Simple in Jade
• 1 ball Yarn Place Graceful in Violetta
• Pattern for a twisty artsy beret from MissBabs
• Ebony spiral shawl pin
• Magenta felted flower zipper pouch, made by artisans in Nepal

So now I’m obsessing over what to make with my goodies.  I have a few shawl ideas for the Graceful.  There’s 900+ yards in one ball, so there’s lots of it to play with.  I’m thinking Spring Things or Aeolian.

The Tilli Thomas came with a pattern for a fishnetty stole made on big needles.  I started casting on and got annoyed, but it was very hot, and I may give it another try.  The drape on that yarn!  It’s so smooth and soft.  And I LOOOOVE the color.

Earlier in the day I had seen a few booths with a sister yarn to the Pure and Simple, except with beads and sequins, in the same colorway, but I decided I’d rather put the beads into the knitting myself.  So when I found the little kit of Pure and Simple tucked behind a display in another booth, I pounced on it!  And then I wondered if someone else had hidden it there and wanted to come back for it.  The shop ladies teased me that indeed someone had, and that I’d probably have to fight her if she came back and found me buying her yarn.  I’ll have to try to remember where I bought that from, all the ladies there were very funny!

I had no idea how much fun it would be to spend the entire day in the market.  So many ideas, so many sample knits to feel and analyze, so many pretty colors!  I was pretty exhausted by the end of the day.

I did manage to finish my handspun beret around dinnertime though.  I think the Guinness 250 helped.  Yum.

So, conclusion?  It’s definitely worth $6 to get into the Yarn Market at Stitches South.  This was my first fiber convention, and I think one of the bigger ones would be a really fun weekend trip.  Might be even more fun if there are people to chat with at lunchtime, but who wouldn’t mind if we broke off into smaller groups to browse.  It would be way too difficult to wrangle more than 2 or 3 in a group with all the shiny around.

It seems I always feel like taking a picture of my knitting when I’ve settled down somewhere with a beverage.

I’m not sure what it is.  Maybe having a beverage means it’s time to relax and enjoy the scenery for a few minutes.

I’ve started a few other projects lately.  One of them is a super secret birthday gift!  The other two are a slouchy beret I’m making from some handspun my Mom gave me, which is about the same color as the turquoise in the footless sock above.  You may notice that there’s really just one at the moment.  And that Stitches South is this week.  Well.  That’s what happens when you decide to suddenly start knitting with size 00 needles.  Stuff takes longer.  Did I get the memo?  No, I did not.  That’s ok though!  With legwarmers footless socks this crazy, you can wear them however you want.

The other is an experiment with no real expectation for the outcome, other than playing with yarn scraps.

Spiral knitting!  It’s all done with carefully orchestrated short rows, and I dig it.  I think I may be able to work it into all sorts of things.   The pattern is called Ten Stitch Twist and it’s on Ravelry as a free download.

Breaking News! I have completed my taxes.  Boring.  I have received my refund.  Less boring…  I have ordered my Schacht Ladybug spinning wheel and am now anxiously awaiting its arrival!  Exciting!

I think I wish the vendor had given me a tracking number, but then I would have slashdotted the mail carrier’s site with my compulsive page refreshing.  It’s just as well for all concerned.  Friday is when I’ll start to expect it on the doorstep.  Tomorrow!

In the meantime, I’ve been amusing myself with my new Noro Sock yarn, by making some, ahem, “footless socks.”  Yes.  They are indeed legwarmers.  I ride public transportation!  I have to stand outside a lot!  No one will see my cheeto-colored stripey legwarmers!

I really believe that brighter colors make you feel warmer.  Or heathery gray.  I know that makes no sense.

And the narrow striping of a yarn with long color changes really is addictive and interesting.  I’m not 2×2 ribbing’s biggest fan, but I can knit on this for an hour or more and not get bored.  The yarn definitely has a rustic feel to it, which may be why it gets mixed reviews on its Ravelry page.  There’s lots of thick and thin going on, and odd little knots  and twists sometimes, but I think it gives it character.

It bores the crap out of the dog:

But he’s not much of a knitter.  And who asked him, anyway?

Last weekend, while I was casting on the Noro footless sock, again and again and again (I finally looked up the length trick for the long-tail cast on.  1/2″ – 1″ per stitch you’re casting on.) I popped over to TribalCon to sit at the Shimmy-A-Thon booth for a few hours.

That’s my bellydance teacher, Kira, on the right.  She is much more relaxed having her picture taken than I am!  I’ve learned lots and lots from her, and I’m really happy to be involved in Shimmy-A-Thon.  It’s a weekend event in September, with workshops and shows and a shimmy endurance challenge that raises money for Cystic Fibrosis.

Stay tuned for spinning wheel unpacking action!  I’ve always been curious about how they ship them, so I’ll be taking pictures as I unpack it.

Image by Mike Monteiro

December was pretty eventful, in a weird sort of way.  I was sick most of the month with two different monster colds, we had family visiting, and I didn’t get nearly as much gift-making done as I wanted to.

Overall though, it was nice.  I’m really grateful that I didn’t have to use much of my paid time off to be sick, at least!

I’m still finishing up a hat for a friend.  I had a few stops and starts with other cable hat patterns, but I decided to go with a pattern I know and love, and not give myself a headache.  It’s The Anti-Craft’s Glaistig, which is very easy, and somewhat monotonous, but very elegant when finished.  I’ve made it twice before, and I think it’s a great unisex hat pattern.  Honestly it seemed a good challenge the times I made it before I started my descent into the depravity of lace knitting.  Now I’m spoiled.

But!  I found a great lace beret pattern which was really super fun, and which I’ll make lots of, I’m sure.  It’s Meret by Wooly Wormhead.  (Ravelry page)  There are lots of variations, and since I used a sportweight alpaca yarn, I made a size larger and one level floppier to get a fairly conservative size for Wendy’s classic style.  I love how she’s paired her hat with a gray cabled sweater in this picture!

If I make it for myself, I think I may go full-on floppy and try to get the same soft drape with whatever yarn I choose.  I have a purple cashmere/merino blend that, although it’s sock weight, may indeed be calling out to be made into a fine-gauge Meret.

Other projects on the horizon:  the Mermaid Kimono ensemble, continuing modifications to the Steampunk ensemble (this year with hot-weather concessions and new headgear), the completion of the Hemlock Ring blanket, and many more.

Also, today is Kasper’s birthday!  He’s 2 today!  This is probably what he’s doing right now:

It's a tough life on the couch.

You shouldn’t though.  Shaking babies is bad.

My manager at work is due in December, so we had a shower for her at work last week.  You may know my anti-pastels-for-children policy, so I jumped for joy when I found a baby hat designed to be made with Noro!

My poor camera is on its way out, so I took these with the not-great camera phone:

Cuffed and uncuffed.  (It’s amazing how similar my Magic 8 Ball is to the size of a newborn baby’s head.)

This hat has such a HUGE payoff for very little work.  I started it during a web design meetup presentation on PHP and the crown shaping is really easy to keep track of in your head.  Well, I’ve had a bit of lace knitting practice, so it might not have been so easy for me a couple of years ago.

Mama and Daddy loved it and I think were both relieved by the pretty colors.  I didn’t get a chance to take a picture of the wrapping paper, but it was white with photographs of chimps wearing party hats.   Again, compliments.  I love how being my quirky, unusual self surprises people.  I also love that their surprise surprises me; I so often live in my own little bubble world.

I got into a conversation on Ravelry with a woman in Wyoming looking to barter for some of the yarn I’m not using anymore. She’s going to make me slippers! I did warn her about my amply-sized feet, but she’s up for it.

Go say hi to her if you’re on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/people/AuntyM

I’ve enjoyed Marnie McLean’s patterns for a while now, and when she recently released her Alsace Le Monstre hat pattern, just in time for me to whip it up for a late-summer baby shower, I was really pleased. The hat is just adorable, and the construction is really well thought out.

Here’s an in-progress shot.  You may have noticed a lot of green yarn lately.  Yep, all from that very skein of Cotton Ease.  Very nice cotton/acrylic blend.  I decided to use the green for the teeth because I liked the lower contrast.

Here’s a detail of the horns.  The one on the left is stuffed.  Isn’t that cool?  I love twistie horns.

The eye is crocheted, and I only had 100% wool, so I felted it before I sewed it on.

On the left, unfelted.  The hardest part was getting the horns to line up and twist the way I wanted them, but they’re pretty forgiving once they’re sewn on.  You can smoosh them and twist them if you really need them the be symmetrical.

All wrapped up and ready for the shower.  I’m philosophically opposed to pastels for children.  An interesting side effect?  Compliments on the wrapping since it tends to stand out.  Cool.

No action pictures yet, but he’ll grow into it soon.  His mama tried to put it on, but alas, her head was too fully-grown.  Still, a high compliment indeed.

Blogging is hard! But, I have lots to share, and I’m going to try to queue it all up and publish it over time. Getting into the writing mode is new for me, but I’m digging it.

I’m starting small. Here’s a picture of a Ballband dishcloth/swiffer cloth I made recently:

It was really fun to knit. I love the slip stitch pattern. Mine didn’t really end up fitting my swiffer all that well, but I may just use it as a scrubbie in the kitchen anyway. It took hardly any yarn, so the most expensive part of it is the labor. It did take longer than I expected, but that always happens to me with garter stitch. It’s really sturdy and I like the colors. I think mixing multi-colored yarn like the pattern suggests will be fun next time around.

Another small project:

Yoda! It’s a great little pattern (Ravelry link), so much fun to make. Lots of tiny pieces, but it goes so quickly that it didn’t bother me at all.  The birthday boy loved it.  Who doesn’t love getting Yoda for their birthday?

Stay tuned…