Charts, charts, and more charts

I think I’m making good progress on my Zarabel sweater.  Yesterday I finished the ribbing and moved on to working on the charts.  It definitely takes a bit more concentration than my other knitting projects to date, but already the symbols are starting to make sense, which makes my progress a bit smoother.  I almost wish, though, that I had the space to separate the pages and lay them all out side by side.  As it is now, I have to flip through the pattern packet in order to find the next chart to work off of as I go around each row.

April 6, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Knitting  No Comments

Further evidence that I am insane…

New yarn=new project.

I just can’t help myself.  I got this beautiful yarn from Sheep City USA this past week.  It’s called Astral from The Alpaca Yarn Co. and is a blend of Alpaca, merino wool, and tensel.  Oddly enough, aside from the soft feel and beautiful luster, the color really attracted me to this yarn, but it isn’t a typical color for me.  It’s a deep burgundy red, almost to the point of being brown.  I just love it.

So, as soon as I got home, I started searching for a sweater pattern that I’d love just as much as the yarn.  I browsed through pages and pages of sweaters before deciding I probably should have started by browsing patterns that I’d already marked as my favorites.  Sure enough, I had marked the Zarabel Sweater not very long ago.  It’s simply perfect for this yarn, and I’m pretty sure I’ll have enough of it.

Of course, I told myself that I should finish some of my other projects first.  I tried to remind myself that I’ll feel much better about starting something new if I just finish one or two of my UFOs.  It wasn’t working.  I decided I’d just go through the swatching process so that I’d be ready to start as soon as I finished another project.  I even tried to bribe myself with another project that would be more suitable to work on once the weather starts to warm up in a few weeks.  Still, no dice.

I had printed out the pattern directions by Friday and had cast on by Saturday night.  I even went so far as to take a trip to Joann’s to get a new package of stitch markers, since my other set is completely tied up in my Spanish Moss Coat.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get very far on Saturday, since on my first try at joining, I got the first round twisted, and then didn’t notice it until I was half way around again.  But today, I’ve managed to correct my false start and have several rows of the ribbing done.

I’ve also had a chance to peruse the pattern a bit more closely.  Yipes!  This one is really going to challenge me.  At least I have heard of all the terms, and I think I’ve done almost everything that is required…I’m just not confident or comfortable at many of them.  Thank goodness for KnittingHelp.com!  With the helpful videos on that site, and the detailed directions of the pattern, I should be able to successfully tackle this one.

April 5, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Knitting  No Comments

A Baby Blanket Montage

I finally managed to get the Hoodie Baby Blanket sent off to the baby it was intended for, so I took the opportunity to snap some photos of both of my most recent baby blankets.

Then, of course, there is the beautiful Sólás Caomh with the trim edge from my Aragon Tunic.

And one more photo, because my darling kitty is in this one…

April 3, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Crochet, Knitting  2 Comments

Alternating

There really is something to be said for having multiple projects going at once.  Aside from simple PADD (project attention deficit disorder), I’ve found that it keeps me from sore hands as well.

That’s never been  more apparent to me than today.  My husband and I did about two hours’ worth of yard work in the early afternoon today.  When we had finally finished, washed up, and sat down to watch a movie together, I picked up the sock that’s nearly completed.  Wow, did my hands hurt!  I could barely hold those little size 1 needles.

I couldn’t possibly sit through an entire movie without anything to work on with my hands, so I got out my Spanish Moss Coat.  I was nearly finished with the second front piece, which meant that it was going to take a little more focus to keep track of my decreases than the sock was, but the larger size hook was something that my tired hands could handle.

So, now I’ve successfully finished the body piece of my coat, and have even started on the first sleeve.  The socks, unfortunately, will have to wait a couple of days until my hands have recovered.

March 27, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Crochet, Knitting  No Comments

Multi-craft-ural

I realize that I haven’t posted in quite sometime but, as I think I’ve mentioned before, I have many crafts that I indulge in.  Most recently, I’ve been pulled away by a couple of major sewing projects as well as a new hobby–book making.

It all started because I need more college credits to move up the pay scale at work.  There is a university that offers classes specifically tailored to teachers at the local high school, which is only about a quarter of a mile from my home.  This winter they offered a course in book making geared towards use in the classroom…a way to engage students in the learning process in addition to creating a way to display their work.  It sounded like fun, and was relatively inexpensive as far as college credit goes, so I signed up even though I didn’t know any other people who would be taking it.

Wow!  Did I have a blast!  While I have several ideas for how to incorporate this in my classroom (I’m thinking a poetry book for the eighth graders and a mythology report for the sixth graders), the course went beyond simple structures for children and got into the quality of books that I’d like to make for myself and as gifts for friends.

Now, I need another hobby like I need a hole in the head, so I’m avoiding paper stores and the clearance section of Michaels until I actually need to purchase supplies for my students projects.

But for now, let’s get back to my yarn hobbies, which is what you are really here for.  I’m making slow progress on my last mojo sock.  It should be finished soon-ish.  They are cute…not exactly my usual taste in socks, but I think the pattern works with the yarn.

I’ve also spent a little time working on my Spanish Moss Coat.  I keep pausing on this project because it seems like such a huge task.  When I think of all I have left to do, it’s a little daunting.  So, I’m trying to just focus on my current piece (which is the last body piece).  I still have the sleeves to make, assembly, and then the front edge trim.

My Veronica sweater is still sitting here next to me waiting for the hooks to be sewn on.  Yeah.  I need to get to that.

And, of course, since I have to have a dozen projects going at once, I’ve started two more.

The first is a set of Victorian manchettes (cuffs for a pair of underseeves).  The pattern is from my Riego book from 1850 and they will hopefully be worn with my Dickens Fair dress this year.  It took a little bit of trial and error to figure out a threat and hook size combination that would produce a cuff that fits my wrist perfectly, but I hit the right mix with size 80 thread and size 14 (0.9 mm) hook.  I’ve already made one major modification though: the pattern calls for each row to be cast off so that each row is crocheted from the right side of the work, but I am crocheting it back and forth.  While this may have already affected the shape of the poof-motiff, I simply cannot fathom weaving in all those ends after I finish the cuff.

I’ve also started crocheting little squares to put together for a charity blanket using my leftover sock yarn.  I’m using a pretty simple mitered square in single crochet, but in the back look only to give it a great texture.  I’ll have to make quite a few more socks before I have enough squares to make a blanket, but it’s fun to have the little squares to work on for when I need a break from my larger projects.

March 22, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Crochet, Knitting  No Comments

Narrowing down the UFO pile

So, I got the Dove Vest finished and delivered.  It’s pretty, but not something I’d wear myself.  I loved the stitch pattern though, so I’m kind of toying with the idea of trying to modify the pattern to better flatter my shape.  I probably won’t act on that thought, but I wouldn’t be opposed to making this up for someone as a gift…now to find the friend that actually has the right figure for this.

I also finished my stash buster kitchen towel.  I even got it washed and put away with my other kitchen towels, so it is now ready for a true test.

I’ve got one baby blanket waiting to be mailed off and another waiting for the baby shower.  Thankfully, both are finished and one even got washed!

So, at this point, I’ve down to three projects that I really should finish before starting something new.  One is the Spanish Moss Coat that I’ve been working on forever!  I really should focus my attention on that, since it will be perfect once spring really does start.  I currently have the back finished, one side of the front, and half of the other side.  There is still a lot to do, since the assembled coat also gets a knitted edge, but if I quit getting distracted by other projects, there’s still hope.

I am very close to having the Veronica sweater finished.  It still needs the clasps sewn on; that sort of got put on hold as I tried to race through the Dove Vest and then a major sewing project, but I should be able to get that done as soon as I have an evening free this week.

Finally, I frogged my one Ambrosia sock and started knitting the yarn into a Mojo sock.  It’s not that I didn’t like the Ambrosia pattern–I just didn’t like it with that yarn nor did I like the modifications I made to it.  (While the mods looked fine on a flat sock, they did not look fine on my fat calf.  I ended up with saggy socks that were that annoying “almost” knee length.  So sad.)  So, while it kills me to have all that leftover yarn, I’m sticking with a shorter sock length this time.

March 1, 2010  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Project Distractions

I’ve got way too many projects going right now.  The good news is that the Veronica sweater is nearing completion, though I will have to stick with short sleeves.  I found the perfect hooks to use as closures for the front and even started sewing then on only to decide that I want to reverse them.  Oh, well.  I’ll probably sit down and finish that up sometime in the coming week.

Today I finally managed to finish winding that 900+ yards of yarn for the sample I’m supposed to get finished in a couple of weeks.  I’ve actually got another skein of the stuff, but I’m not even going to think about winding it unless I absolutely have to!

Then there is the hoodie baby blanket that I’m still plugging away at.  (Why, oh why, do I fall in love with the knit baby blankets?  This is what I’m supposed to know how to crochet for.)  At any rate, I think I’m just going to knit to the end of my current skein before binding off and starting on the hood part.  I’m hoping that will go quickly because I know for sure that the border will take forever.

And finally, I’m working on knitting a kitchen towel out of leftover cotton yarn from my Log Cabin baby blanket.  It’s actually looking kind of cute for something I’m just winging, so I’m feeling a little proud of this project.  (Plus, I just got passed the halfway point, so it’s starting to look somewhat finished, which always feels good.)

At this point, I can pretty much pick up a project no matter what room I’m in, which keeps me wonderfully busy, but it means that my progress on all of them is starting to feel a little slow.  Fortunately, after this coming week, I have a week off of work.  I’ll be using some of that time to work on a sewing project, but I’ll at least get some pictures uploaded of all this other things I’ve been working on.

February 6, 2010  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Crochet, Knitting  No Comments

I’m a very bad girl

So, I went out and bought yarn for my own Veronica sweater.  Yep, I couldn’t resist.  Besides, my sample was completely on hold until finding out what pattern to use.  (As it turns out, she wants not only a different pattern but also a different yarn.  I’m now in the middle of winding over 900 yards of yarn for the new project.)  In the meantime, I’ve been chugging away at my Veronica sweater.

I bought Cascade’s Venezia Worsted, which is a little heavier than the pattern calls for, but it was just too lovely to pass up.  A blend of wool and silk, it has a beautiful sheen with a lovely hand.  I’m absolutely loving it.  I’ve got the fit in the shoulders and armscye perfect, but it’s a little tight around.  To compensate, I’ve done about four rows of sc down each side of the front closure (that pattern only calls for two rows down one side in order to create the button holes), and I’m going to use hooks instead of buttons.

I also did the collar before working on the sleeves, because I want to see if I can make them full length.  I now have one sleeve half done and have just started on the second with about two-thirds of a skein left.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

I’m also continuing to make progress on the hoodie baby blanket.  Slow but steady wins the race, right?

And then, as if I don’t have enough projects going on right now, I’ve also started knitting a kitchen towel with the leftover yarn from my Log Cabin baby blanket.  It’s turning out kind of cute and should also be nice and functional since the yarn is 100% cotton.

January 31, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Crochet, Knitting  No Comments

Doomed

So, the Veronica sweater is now a no-go.  I’m so sad and am thinking that I’ll need to buy some yarn soon to make it for myself.  Probably something that will crochet up a little lighter, or else I’ll need to make it long sleeved to be a truly cold weather sweater.

Still don’t know what pattern I’ll end up using this yarn for.  I’ll have to just wait and see.  We are already cutting this so close to the deadline that I’m not sure I’ll be able to get anything made up on time.  This was supposed to be my UN-stressful hobby, completely free from deadlines.  Not sure I’ll do this again, now.  Last year went so smoothly, but this is starting to frustrate me and stress me out, something I really don’t need right now.  So, this will definitely be the last time I crochet a sample unless I have LOTS of lead in time and VERY clear directions.

January 22, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

And then sometimes everything goes right.

Instead of sewing today (which was my original plan), I sat on the couch watching hulu and working on my Veronica sweater.  Yep, for the entire day.

Well, except for the lunch break I took with my husband to go get dim sum.  But other than that, yep, all day.

But that means that I’ve made fabulous progress.  I’d probably still be working on it right now except that I’m out of yarn and won’t be able to get more until next weekend.

I kind of wish it wasn’t turning out so perfectly.  Not only does it look beautiful, but it’s fitting me perfectly, and without even trying.  Granted, it’s not quite as snug as I usually like to wear sweaters, but since this one buttons up the front, it will need a little bit of positive ease.  I wish things would go this smoothly when I was making something for myself, or that I didn’t have to give this one back to Shane at Sheep City USA.

Oh, well.  Like I said before, I can always get the same yarn and make this again, but I’m afraid that it just wouldn’t work out quite the same.  I mean, lightning doesn’t strike twice, you know?

January 18, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Crochet  No Comments