Happy Halloween! October 31, 2006

I’ve been getting into the Halloween spirit in my own way – meaning FOOD! Pumpkin bread, pumpkin ice cream (from Edy’s – so good!), and Little Debbie cakes with sprinkles on them. Last night I got an urge to carve a pumpkin but settled for this little bugger. Very cute! Wish it was in orange, but oh well. The pattern is from the Monthly Dishcloths group, the October 2005 cloth.

Today also marks the end of Socktoberfest. I didn’t do as well as I had hoped, unfortunately. The recent cold snap affected more than the weather. My apartment is old and drafty, and when I can’t feel my fingers, the last thing I want to do is knit at a small gauge. Thus, winterizing the windows with plastic film will be a major priority this week.

But I did get one pair finished for both Soctoberfest and SAM2: the Big Blue Broadripples!

The UK bear approves. Hopefully my aunt will feel likewise.

Short Cuts October 31, 2006

I have several FOs to post later, but for now, a few links:

Cotton-Ease returns! DiscountYarnSale is accepting pre-orders for “late November.” Check out the new more-adult-friendly colors! [via the Cotton-Ease Yahoo group]

KnitPicks has some new free patterns posted including felted coasters, a coffee cozy, potholders and oven mitts; a tie for Dad; and (my favorite) Christmas stockings made with Shamrock!

You’ve also heard of the latest batch of KnitPicks’ new yarns, right? Wakashan (100% baby alpaca), Totem (50% wool, 50% viscose), and Salishan (45% wool, 55% pima cotton). All are worsted and are labeled “web only special, limited quanitities”, so they might not be around for long.

A Bad Yarn Day October 24, 2006

I told a fib. I did not cast on for tons of exciting new project last Monday. I discovered that my Kentucky Blue Broadripples (as I have now dubbed them) were so close to completion that it seemed prudent (ugh.. I dislike that word) to finish them off first. Which I did… kinda.

Now I need to buckle down and finish weaving in the ends (all 10 of them – I hate knots!!!) so they can count for SAM2.

I believe I also said something about cutting back on dishcloth knitting…

Yeah, not happening either. You should recognize the Garterlac. The other is a Bauhaus cloth. I liked the look of the dishcloth posted by Lion Brand recently, but if you follow the pattern as given you end up with just ribbing! The cloth in the photo looks more complicated than that. I don’t really remember much about the Bauhaus school of design from university, but the article accompanying the pattern mentions squares. So I examined the photo and made notes of how it looked to me. This is what I came up with:

Cast on 48 stitches
Rows 1-6: (k4, p4) across
Rows 7-10: (p8, k8) across
Repeat rows 1-10 until the required length
Bind off

Simple enough, eh? If you like smaller cloths (like me), cast on 36 stitches and change it from multiples of 4 to multiples of 3 (k3, p3, etc).

Other than the next pair of Broadripples, I haven’t cast on for anything new recently. I got as far as winding yarn for two new pairs of socks but kept running into imperfections in the yarn.

1. A knot and a slub, 2. Moda Dea Sassy Stripes – 6 knots, 3. Knit Picks Simple Stripes – bad nylon

The Simple Stripes nylon thing is toward the end of the skein, so I might not even need that bit, but six knots in two balls of Sassy Stripes?! I know these aren’t high quality yarns, but doesn’t anybody have standards anymore? Anyway, because of this I’ve lost interest in these socks for the time being.

The next thing on the agenda is a pair of much, much needed legwarmers. Not even these are coming easy. I’m using a Target kit which had all of the yarn (the pattern calls for two different yarns held together) on triangular cardboard rolls. No sweat, I thought, I’ll just wind it into balls. One went fine but the second yarn is slippery. Slippery yarns don’t wind well, not that I knew that. I ended up spending 2 hours untangling and winding it by hand. Of course, it was only after all this that I realized that achieving gauge with the needles they supplied would be pure fantasy… I’ll regroup and retry tonight.

The Dishcloth Parade Continues October 15, 2006

Wave Pool Washcloth

Garterlac VII: Sea Mist

Sea Mist is my favorite Peaches & Creme ombre, and yet the only other time I’ve used it was for my first ever, plain garter stitch dishcloth. It’s been in the stash but I have been hoarding it for some reason. It was great to work with it again.

In the month since the Dishcloth Knit Along began I’ve knit 18 dishcloths! Mom remarked yesterday, “You could have made a sweater in the time it’s taken you to knit all those.” That’s probably an exaggeration, but she does have a point. It was fun at the beginning (and I surely haven’t run out of dishcloth patterns to try), but I am starting to grow weary of 100% cotton and size 6/7 needles. For many weeks now my knitting has consisted of exactly one pair of socks and one or two dishcloths on the needles at any one time. Bo-oring. Tomorrow I’m going to cast on for some new stuff that doesn’t have anything to do with the d-word!

Avoiding Matchy-Matchy October 12, 2006

I still profess to love the ballband pattern, but after that first rush of discovery, I’ve mostly been at a loss as to what to do with it. The problem is the all important color combination. There needs to be enough contrast that you can see the design, and therein lies the rub. My first instinct is always to pair an ombre with a solid that matches exactly, and so you get something like this:

Ugly, ain’t it? It’s even ooglier up close since the white in the background is pinkish.

In my heart I believe the ballband is at its best when ombres are left out of the equation entirely (notice the examples in the Mason Dixon book only show solid with solid), but then I’ll catch a glance at another knitter’s awesome work and start to itch. I’ll knit a few bands, wince, and rip it all out. In the past month I’ve began at least 6 ballband but only saw 2 to the finish line.

Which brings us to the most recent attempt:

The Winterberry ombre consists of purple, pink and blues. And I paired it with green! Green!! I second guessed myself every step of the way but have now decided I like it. I’m learning.

Pinwheel, Pinwheel, Spinning Around October 10, 2006

Look at my pinwheel and see what I found.

Remember that old Nickelodeon show? I’ve just about forgotten it myself, but the theme song popped in my head while knitting this:

The Pinwheel Dishcloth has been on my list for a few months. It looks complicated, but you only knit one triangle at a time, decreasing until there’s one stitch left. Then stitches are picked up along the side for a new triangle (just like Garterlac). Even better, there’s no grafting! Stitches are picked up along the cast on edge during the final triangle to close it up.

Short Row Rectangular Wash Rag – Didn’t like this one so much. It’s easy enough to do, but I’m starting to get tired of garter stitch. It draws in so much that you have to knit a considerable amount more. And I personally think it’s too thick for washing dishes.

That said, I’ll keep doing Garterlac because it amuses me to no end:

Garterlac VI – I took Manda’s advice and searched for a redder Peppermint dyelot than last time.

Lastly, October’s cat from the Monthly Dishcloths KAL. Black isn’t really the best choice for picture cloths, eh? The suggested colors for the mid-October cloth sound suspiciously like last year’s to me, so I think I’ll sit this one out.

I’ll end with a little shopping alert for those who live in the Midwest. Meijer has been quite good recently at putting Sugar & Cream on sale ever 3-4 weeks. This week it’s $1 a ball, $5 a cone! The sale ends Saturday.

I heard a rumor that we’re supposed to get a Meijer store on the outskirts of town (not very accessible but at least within taxi range). I do wish they’d hurry! As it is I have to wait in vain for someone to offer me a lift to Lexington.

Disorderly Conduct October 5, 2006

I do almost all of my knitting at home, on the couch. I try to stay organized, but it always ends up more like this:

In there is 3 dishcloths, 2 socks, 2 remote controls, 3 slips of paper with Monthly Dishcloth KAL rows scribbled on them, 3 printed patterns and a Jane Austen novel (in which I’ve only managed to read 50 pages in 2 weeks).

The needle storage area fares better since I got that 3-drawer thingamajig to hold my circular and double-point needles (they used to be crammed into the top vases), but the leaning tower of library books is crying out for help.

Then we come to the socks which have entered the dreaded gusset stage. I don’t know if anyone else feels the same, but I hate, hate, hate the heel decreases part in sock knitting. It doesn’t matter if I’m using circular needles or double-point needles, it’s still a matter of moving a now very curvy bit of knitting over ramrod straight needle tips. Then again, I never see this mentioned, so perhaps it’s just a problem for tight knitters (or sport-weight yarn). The version of the Broadripple pattern [.doc] adapted for two circular needles actually places all of the heel and gusset stitches on one needle leaving only the instep for needle #2. I’d have to go into contortions to manage that!

Anyway, for the purpose of the decreases I’ve temporarily switched from magic loop to two circulars. The 40″ needles are far too long for this purpose, but in this case, better too much than not enough – even if it does frequently result in a frightening tangle of dangling needle tips and yarn ends (see photo).

Now, for Lolly’s Socktoberfest meme:

When did you start making socks? Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

A year ago I decided that I’d knit socks for all my family members for Christmas. Ha! I taught myself how, but only managed to get one pair finished in time.

What was your first pair? How have they “held up” over time?

The first pair went out of state. I don’t know how they’re doing. Mom was the recipient of the second pair. I just now quizzed her about them, but she didn’t remember them (!) and finally answered “I guess they’re all right.” *sigh*

What would you have done differently?

Kept them myself, obviously!

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

I don’t have many to choose from. Cascade Fixation, I suppose. I had hopes that Elann’s Esprit would be just as good as Fixation, but the quality I’ve seen so far is seriously lacking. I’m only halfway through the pair and I’ve already encountered three knots and a bad slub.

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

My favorite method by far is magic loop. I can use dpns but it’s slower and harder on my wrists. Two circulars? Well, in my opinion it’s a bit of a waste. I resort to it only if I don’t have a long enough needle to magic loop comfortably. The idea of crocheting socks appeals to me (no awkward gussets!), but I haven’t tried it yet.

Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)

In my very limited experience, flap. (Love short-row toes, though!) I’m keen to try the toe-up heel flap method.

How many pairs have you made?

Six pairs, all but two of which were gifts. (I really need to fix that! …after Christmas.) And only one sock orphan!

Dishcloth KAL week 2 October 1, 2006

Tulip Bud, green Garterlac, and a pair of Music Notes

I adjusted the dimensions of the Tulip Bud cloth: 12 stitches and 16 rows cut from the border. The pattern calls for sz 8 needles but I stuck with the sz 6 I always use (probably not the best idea, with all that garter stitch it’s rather dense). Despite all those changes my cloth still came out about 8″ square. By my calculations it would have been close to 11″ if I’d kept to the pattern!

My latest scheme is to knit Garterlac with every Peaches & Creme ombre that Walmart sells. (Minus those only available in cones.) This one is the imaginatively named “Shades of Green” but it got rather bleached out in the photo.

And the last two cloths have already been gifted to my aunts, music lovers both.

Welcoming Socktober October 1, 2006

In honor of the start of Socktoberfest I present the status of the socks!

The first of the Christmas socks seemed like the perfect occasion for a head-to-head magic loopin’ competition between Addi Turbo and the new Knit Picks Options needles (both 3.25mm; Addi: 40″; KPO: 32″).

Knit Picks Options advantages:

• Super flexible cord reduces stress on wrists and forearms and makes it easier to shift the position of the outside loop
• Stitches move easily over the slick tips and thin cable
• The join is smooth with a gradual widening to the needle portion
• Sharp tips are great for lace
• Inexpensively priced

Addi Turbo advantages:

• The cable and joins feel very secure and robust
• Duller points are less likely to split yarn
• Neutral color cable won’t clash with yarn color

The winner?

Knit Picks, of course! The tips are a hair too sharp, and I’m careful not to yank on the fragile-looking joins, but the flexibility of the cable more than makes up for all of that. For me the 32″ circular is just barely long enough to hold two socks for the straightaways. It’s nearly time for the heel, and for that one sock will undoubtedly have to be temporarily shifted to another set of needles.

In other knit along talk, I’ve joined Fiberflix.

The October focus will be on watching and discussing film noir, with Gaslight, Maltese Falcon, and Strangers on a Train winning the top number of votes. I have already seen Maltese Falcon, but the others have been moved to the top of the Netflix queue. I’ll also be combing through the local library, my DVD collection, and my To See lists to choose other film noirs to watch.

And then there’s Vera’s Feel the Love Along which challenges those who primarily knit to crochet something and visa versa. And we’ll all be there to help with each other’s questions. I’ll be crocheting blocks for the Ruby Patchwork Throw. The pattern is quite simple. (she says, not having the slightest clue what “back post double crochet” means…) The big challenge here will be learning how to read a crochet pattern, and seeing it all through to a finished afghan.

I’ve also had my eye on theFall Cable KAL, Tweeding Along, and Year of the Sweater, but I’m probably overextending myself already.