Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Oh, Jo Sharp Mohair came in yesterday, along with my pattern book for a lush crochet shawl...

yes, I said crochet... I *can* crochet. Kinda. I just don't. I think I'm going to need a lot of help with this one, but, by the end, I should be down with the hook.

So, in the realm of Christmas presents, there are 3 adult ones and multiple baby things, all for relatives...

Only 2 of the adult things need to be done for Christmas morning. I'd like to get all 3 adult things done by the time I leave my parent's house on Monday... hmmmm... we'll see...

See, this would be a much more interesting post if it weren't Christmas. Less than a week, then I'll stop pretending that anyone reads this.

Monday, December 20, 2004

So, I saw this in a banner ad today.

ARGH! It just pissed me off. It's just so utterly, entirely, completely FALSE!!!!

Lies! Lies! Lies!

Read your Starmore! Read your Rutt! All serious scholarly work has disproved this and now this stupid website is spreading falsehoods to sell their handknit goods. ARGH!

Ok, deep breath.

See, the website claims that Aran sweater patterns are specific to clans. That they were even used to identify bodies washed up at sea. NO!

Yes, stitches were passed mother to daugher. But not in a closely guarded family secret. More in the way that there weren't written patterns. Kinda like how recipies are passed down.

Rutt claims this stupid myth of sweaters being used to identify bodies comes from a turn-of-the-century reader given to English school children. In one story, a girl identifies her brother's(?) body because she recognizes her mistakes in his sweater. That's it.

Real Aran sweaters didn't really come into being until the 1850s. Even then it was mainly a tourist thing.

Also, it says that an Aran sweater " is water repellent, not allowing the rain to penetrate the sweater thus keeping the wearer dry. An Aran sweater can absorb 30% of its weight in water before feeling wet." Um, yes... kinda... most wool sweaters in general are water repellant, especially if the lanolin is left in. And, in the Aran Island community of fisherman, rain really wasn't what was getting this people wet. It was sea spray.

It's just irksome that they're using such a false hook to sell something. I feel that it demeans the craft, that they aren't willing to do any real research.

I'm really insterested in this Aran Sweater Museum, where the website claims to get its info. I'm wondering how scholarly it is? If the website is just twisting information?

This site has good info.

Sorry for the rant.




Wednesday, December 15, 2004

Yay for soft warm mittens! The pattern is here. If you make these, let me know how they turn out, OK?

They sure did come in handy when I was scraping the car this morning!!! They took about an evening to do. They're really quick.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004


mittens

mittens

mittens
Oh, I forgot--

One hardish part about knitting the uterus was putting the pipe cleaners into the fallopian tubes (they're posable!). What I ended up doing was threading the pipe cleaner onto a yarn needle and threading it through the tube so there was pipe cleaner sticking out of both ends. I then took it off the needle, bent the end as called for in the pattern, and pulled on the end sticking out of the cast on end until there wasn't any pipe cleaner left sticking out of the loopy end.

Did that make any sense?
Pictures of the uterus I knit for my friend Kate. Pattern is here. Instead of the yarn called for, I used Rowan Big Wool in color tricky. Which is nice and swirly-pink on a size 11 needle. This makes it a tight gauge (so the stuffing doesn't leak out) but I still got 3st/1inch, making it a bit bigger than called for. The thing is still really small (I pictured it with my 60in measuring tape so you could get a feel of the size).

The whole uterus took about 1/2 a ball. I had bought 2 balls, so now I'm making mittens. I have 1 and 1/2 done. I'll post the pictures/pattern when I'm done, which will hopefully be tonight, as I lost my mittens last year and now it's snowing and my hands are cold.

Also, new link in the references section to Knit A Round which is the store I work at. If you click on the newsletter link you can see classes for next semester, including the ones I'm teaching!

Also, UM students-- keep your eyes open for classes at Pierpont. It looks like I'll be teaching on Tuesdays? Maybe?

Monday, December 13, 2004


Uterus!

Uterus!

Friday, December 10, 2004

Erp, Dan was right. I am a fiber snob. Oh, wait, I knew that.

Knitting Purist
You appear to be a Knitting Purist.
You are an accomplished knitter producing beautiful
pieces with a classic feel. You sometimes
lament losing half of your local yarn shop to
garish novelty yarns. Perhaps you consider fun
fur scarves the bane of knitting society and
prefer to steer new knitters towards the wool
and cotton blends. Some might call you a bit of
an elitist but you know that you've been doing
this craft long enough to respect the history
behind it and honor it with beautiful piece
that can last a lifetime.
http://marniemaclean.com


What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Here are my 2 new favorite online patterns. I'm not telling you what they are, though, because you need to see them to get the full effect.

I would like to change this one so it would be functional and there would be a baby inside. Hours of birthing enjoyment! Of course, the cervix would have to then be blue.

My friend Rachel recommends knitting this one for somone I hate who happens to have a small child. She didn't recomend anyone in specific, and of all the people I currently wish such horrendous things upon, none of them have small children. But I could do it out of a super-itchy yarn and then not only would their baby be ugly, but fussy as well. Bwha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Thursday, December 09, 2004

I bought so much Encore last night it's not even funny. All for baby items.

So, sorry about lack of meaningful updates, but you know, people read this. People who can't know what I'm knitting for them, cause that would take the fun out of Chritmas, no wouldn't it? December 26th will be the biggest most picture-rific update ever. Promise. But it might not happen until the 28th.

Last night someone came to drop in with crochet questions. She wanted to learn new stitches, but couldn't read crochet instructions. Yeah, Jennie don't crochet too good. But somehow I managed to blag my way through the evening well enough that she ended up with an Irish Crochet Double Rose that was super schweet. I felt really proud of myself.

The dress got made and was wearable and everything. Even if I did look like a nun who had lost her whimple. Kinda the point. Should I sew more??? I am debating.

Friday, December 03, 2004

So, it turns out that I've been doing my yarn-overs incorrectly.

There are 2 versions of the yarn over:
1. You knit with the yarn in the wrong place (ie, the yarn is in front, as if you were going to purl, but you knit instead).

2. You actually wrap the yarn around the needle, as in an "e" cast-on, except it's not a backward loop.

You can't do the first one if you're purling! Well, at least not in slipped stich patterns. I don't know about other ones. I think that the second one is supposed to be the "correct" way and creates a bigger hole, but I really like the first way. My holes are the same size both ways and the first version is quicker to execute and creates a better rhythm.

Dress= mostly assembled. Things left to do: trim and press open and tack down the bodice and skirt seam (I think overlocking it would create something itchy on my tummy) put in zipper (slightly scary) cut out facing and then sew it in. Hem.

Thursday, December 02, 2004

Hmmm... so lots of people have been giving me hints on Shaker Rib, but it's all stuff I know/am doing. The fact I can't do this is actually starting to piss me off more than it really should...

But, tonight is the Knit Around staff dinner, so hopefully they'll be able to figure out where I'm going wrong. There's 1 row that I'm messing up, but I'm not sure which one it is. ugh. I was going to post a picture, but I've been sewing.

Part of me really likes sewing and part of me is like, dude, this isn't knitting. But everytime I trim and then overlock my seams I think "man, I wish I had a serger. I'd sew more if I had a serger" but I can't justify owning a serger if I don't start sewing more. What to do?

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Ok, first off, who has mastered 2 color shaker rib? Because I sure as hell haven't. I'll redo my swatch yet again and post pictures of what I'm doing soon. Hopefully this week. I'm going off of the info. in Katerina Buss's Big Book of Knitting if that helps any...

In other knitting news... well, it's Christmas, and you never know who reads these things, so specific details (and pictures) might be on hold for the next month...

I will say this though... Plymouth Baby Alpace Grande... oh baby... this person better realize how much I love them. I just want to wrap myself in this yarn and sleep for a million years. In fact, after Christmas, I might make myself something out of this, because wow. yum.

This is also a sewing week, as Messiah is this weekend and I need a dress that goes to my instep. At 5'9" this is not the easiest thing in the world to find. Now, I am knitting diva, not a sewing diva. Not a complete sewing dunce, but I will say that I sought out the "Very Easy Vogue" patterns!!! Luckily all of Jo-Ann's was on sale, so I gots me a nice new pair of scissors for cheap! Schweet. Now, if only I had a serger... mmmm... serger...

Ah, going to the fabric store reminded me of so many things... when I was a kid my mom and I used to go to the fabric store and I'd sit on a chair with my feet dangling, leafing through the books of patterns for a new dress or Halloween costume and then Mom would take me over to the big file drawers and we'd rifle through to find the pattern... also, of when Ellie and I would drive to Newton's Super Wal-Mart when we decided we needed fabric at midnight and then no one was working to cut our fabric so she had to teach the electronics guy how to cut fabric and use the scanny thing to get a price tag... or even my Saturday's at Sew-In when I got to cut fabric, which we sold by the meter and yard and the customer had to decide which one they wanted.

I don't know what it is about crafts that make people so nostolgic. I've noticed it with knitting before. (Knit on a bus sometime. The amount of homeless guys who get choked up and talk about how their mom s used to knit is astounding.) But last night when I got home, Dan pulled out my new (huge!) tomato pin cushion, with the mini-tomato dangling off the end and his eyes lit up as he exclaimed "I've ALWAYS wanted one of these! Especially with the little dangly one!"

Wednesday, November 24, 2004


Daria Skein

Finished bag 2

Finished bag! Yay!

close up of random patterning...

Other side

Daria bag side

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Hmmm. I was in the middle of posting and my browser randomly shut down somehow...

Anyway, back from a fun time in Atlanta. Lots of Diva-dom. Lots of Colin Firth. Lots of knitting. mmmmmm.... Colin Firth....

Anyway, am putting wrap with sleeves on hold for a wee bit as a knit up a bag with some Noro Daria for the shop. Pictures will come tonight, crazy stuff, this Daria! It's a cord, cotton wrapped with rayon, in cool variagated colors (I mean, it is Noro). There's also something with how it's knitting up. It's making some funky patterns which have everything to do with stitches and gauge and not the yarn, but it's funky. It's heavy when knit up as well. My husband said it looked like pink chain mail! It takes some time to get used to.

Here's some words of wisdom: Daria does NOT want to be a center pull ball. nu-uh, no way jose. In fact, it really doesn't like being in a ball at all!!!! Winding this stuff is a bitch and a half. But worth it. Really worth it.

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Yay! Pictures!

Ok, so I found the cord last night. Then I went to transfer pictures and it wouldn't work...

Me: Why won't this work
Dan: Do you have the software loaded?
Me: Erm...

Tonight. I found the software. Yay! Why can't I open my CD drive. Wait. I don't have a CD drive. I took it out to put the battery in. Where the hell is my CD drive. Erm.

Found CD drive! Yay!

Ok, so now there are pictures! Of Top Dog from Erika Knight's Simple Knits for Little Cherubs in Rowan Summer Tweed. Of baby bonnets from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. (It took 2 skeins of Rowan Kid Classic. There was some green left but I used all the red). 2 are as the pattern is written, and one only has 2 ridges of garter, then an attached I-cord at the bottom. I kinda like this one better.

And of my pirate sweater from Zoe Mellor's Adorable Knits for Tiny Tots. Sorry it's sideways. I used Takhi Cotton Classic. It was for an auction at Knit A Round to raise money for breast cancer research...

mango moon

Doggie face Posted by Hello

Doggie top view Posted by Hello

Baby Bonnet as written Posted by Hello

Baby Bonnet pattern as written Posted by Hello

Baby Bonnet with I-cord Posted by Hello

Pirate Sweater Posted by Hello

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Ok, I figured out what was up with the Rowan linking issue... I messed up the code for the Peace Fleece link, which messed up the Rowan link. (I finally figured it out when I realized the Peace Fleece link wasn't visible....)

ah well. silly me. back to work.
Not a lot of knitting yesterday... just a few more rows on the wrap with sleeves...

I didn't even get a chance to look for the cord so I could get some pictures posted. Tonight, however, I have no plans other than posting pictures and knitting away.

But, I put some more links up and organized that bar a bit, but I can't figure out why the Rowan link isn't, well, linking. (But move your cursor over it, it'll "light up" like a link.... weird...). I've quadruple-checked the code and I didn't leave anything weird out. It also appears the Rowan website is having some issues. Either that, or they've miraculously dis-enrolled me. ugh.

Monday, November 15, 2004

Wow! 11 days, no post. My bad.

Anyway, all the baby bonnets are done. Doggie's done. A trio of airy scarves are done (Ok, 2 need their ends sewn in yet). And pictures have been taken! Now, if I could only find the cord that links my camera to my computer so I could download said pictures and share them with all of you!

So, I'm back to work on my wrap with sleeves. Only about a foot more of the wrap bit to go, and then I'm on to the sleeves! I'm so excited. A foot of brioche stitch is a bit daunting, but, when you consider that I've already knit at least 5 feet of brioche stitch... and the sleeves are a nice stockinette! Yay!

Oh, and tomorrow I have a meeting with the activities director of the North Campus Commons here at Uni. of Michigan, to set up a mini-course I'm going to teach this winter! I'm so excited! Plus, class schedules for Knit-A-Round are being worked on, and I'm picking up some more advanced classes. Carrie might even hand over Math for Knitters!

Thursday, November 04, 2004

So, I'm knitting 3 bonnets. They have 5 rows of garter edging around the bottom. The red ran out half way through the second row, so I ripped out the half row and did an applied I-cord border around the bottom (plus the I cord around the edge and for the ties)... very nice... will block and weave in ends on all of them tonight and then pop 'em in the mail tomorrow, hopefully!

Oh! I need to get to Michaels to get stuffing for the doggie, though... and then back to that beautiful wrap from Rebecca.

Wednesday, November 03, 2004

I thought that 2 balls of Kid Classic would make me 4 bonnets (2 red with green trim, 2 green with red trim). Sadly, the ball of red ended with 3 rows of bottom edging to go (plus about 18 inches of 3-st I-cord for the green bonnet trim). sigh

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

First baby was a boy! Bonnets need to go in the mail tomorrow! I need to finish knitting them! But, of course, I have this overwhelming urge to knit something else for him as well... must... resist... urge... to... stop... at... yarn... store... on... way... home... from... work...
Check it out boys and girls... links...

I'm really out of the knitting blog loop, so I'm totally up for some good recomendations!

Also, a shout out to Miss Marcy for making her first non-rectangular knitting project.

trying to add a link bar... but no matter where I stick it into the template code it WILL NOT SHOW. ugh.
NOW! With Comments!
So, today I knew I'd be waiting in live forever to vote. So I took the baby bonnet I'm working on--might as well be productive, right?

Well, so I'm knitting away, with the ball of yarn in my coat pocket and they realize that 75% of the line's last name starts with A-M, and all the N-Z people get a bit fastracked, because there's no one checking in there, so I run over to the other line to get my ballot, and my yarn falls, but I don't know this. Luckily, some nice lady picks it up, and holds onto it, but doesn't chase me, because she doesn't want to lose her place (I still have my needles). I kinda turn, and see that I've tangled a long line of people up in my cherry red Kid Classic.

Luckily people laughed, because the lines were all crazy and there weren't any barriers to kinda mark one line from the other (2 different precints vote at my polling place) and they all thought I had to right idea...

Lots of knitting planned while watching results come in... luckily baby bonnets are small and quick-- hopefully my tension won't change too much during the process. I don't want to have to rip 'em all out tomorrow!

Monday, November 01, 2004

Hello my lovlies!

Well, now that the mothers-to-be have gone into labor, I better finish busting out those cute baby things I've been knitting!!!

The favorite baby item is the Kid Classic baby bonnet from Last Minute Knitted Gifts, one of the new books I just bought. Lots of cool, yet easy patterns, arranged in chapters by time needed to complete the project-- 2-4 hours, 4-6 hours etc, so you can chose a project depending on how just last minute you are. And can just say again that I LOVE these baby bonnets! Oh! So cute! And you can make several from the 2 balls of yarn you have to buy. At least 3, maybe 4. When I've used up my yarn, I'll let you know!

I'm also knitting the stuffed dog from Erika Knight's Simple Knits for Little Cherubs or something like that. Erika Knight is my favorite designer. Check out her home books-- Simple Knits for Easy Living (I think the US edition title might be different...) Simple Crochet for the Home (something like that) and Simple Knits with a Twist very unexpected and really cool.

Anyway, the dog's for my knitting teacher's daughter. The girl who taught me to knit is in labor, so I've been whipping out baby bonnets for the new baby, but I thought I should knit something for the toddler that's already there!

When they're done, I'll post some pictures. Because Blogger changed so I can do that now. Plus, I now have a digital camera, which make it really easy.

And here's a big shout-out to Miss Mary for noticing ASAP that the blog has been resurected. I'll be knitting with you in less than 3 weeks! yippee!

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Testing again...

I have a real job with lots of time to mess around online...

This blog just might live again! We shall see.