Category Archives: Knitting

Knitting, Randonymity, Those Cats

Random rainbows

55 Comments

I’m enjoying the playlists y’all are sending in for the Chaotic Playlist Contest! You still have plenty of time to email your playlist to the contest line – remember that all playlists received by 6 pm Central Daylight Savings Time on Monday, April 10, will be included in the random drawing.

Let us all pause a moment to curse Daylight Savings Time. I’m still not back on track after springing ahead last weekend. Yeah, yeah, that extra hour of light is nice – but maybe we could just stay on DST all year instead of switching back and forth? Just sayin’.

There’s still time to buy tickets for the Geek Prom… No, I’m not going – why ruin my perfect prom non-attendance now? (Besides, skipping the cow eye dissection sounds like a wise move.)

Brace yourselves – is this not the cutest chocolate bunny you’ve ever seen?! Thanks, Mrs Pao!! But here’s the problem – I’m not sure I’ll be able to actually eat this twee little bunny. I want him to come home and live with me always!

*sniff*

Right now, the poor little bunny is hidden in my desk, away from my evil and menacing coworkers who have threatened his continued existence. Hmph.

Yesterday Danielle wondered if I’d been doing any knitting or if I was just hanging around admiring my cabinets. So last night I mostly finished my pair of Ranbow Jays – I have about 1/2 inch of ribbing left to do on one, plus weaving in the ends. (Thanks to Sandra, who inspired me to use my “Fun Nation” yarn for Jaywalkers!) And no, the heels aren’t uneven, altho it sure looks like it in this picture:


Yup, this was definitely my April Project Spectrum knitting project.

“Doody doody doody do… Whoa. What the heck is going on here?”

“So… bright… must not look directly at the socks…”

Knitting, Project Spectrum, Those Cats

In which I actually knit something and also find some yellow and orange around the house

32 Comments

Yes, the slightly misshapen object below is a “necklace” for my iPod shuffle, based on Kristi’s Nano Necklace. All the lumpy lopsidedness is my own doing – Kristi’s Nano Necklace is gorgeous! What I needed was something to hold my shuffle while I walk around the Lakes this spring and what I got is very functional for that purpose. It was knit flat on an Addi Turbo 2mm for the body and Inox steel 1.75mm for the i-cord. The yarn is Regia Cotton Jacquard leftover from the first pair of fingering weight socks I ever knit (awwwww…..).

Please excuse the lighting – it was a bit dark outside when I finished…

Moving right along to Project Spectrum’s April colors of yellow and orange, Peeve started things out right by sending me this fabulous color appropriate card:

See Chaos there in the middle, begging? I think he’s flanked by Jeanne’s cats Bugsy and Pud. 🙂

I didn’t think I had much yellow and orange around and feared I would be reduced to taking pictures of the lemon dish soap and the Saran Wrap box. However, I did find a few things. Here’s a little cat sculpture that usually sits way up high, out of Chaos’ reach:

And here’s most of the yellow and orange media I found. Heck, there’s even some yellow in the upholstery on my futon couch that I hadn’t really noticed before:

“Whoa, what’s all this stuff on the coffee table?!”

“And the winner of the Chaos Booker Sniffer Prize is Children of God Go Bowling by Shannon Olson!”
Knitting, Project Spectrum

Worth nine thousand words?

40 Comments

Whew! Yesterday was a very fun and knitterly day for me. First, I met another knitblogger for coffee and (no surprise) knitting at the Riverview Cafe. Meet Renee of A Good Yarn, holding up the Nantasket Basket she just finished knitting as one of her Project Spectrum projects.

On my way out of the Riverview Cafe, I discovered that its restroom was rather Project Spectrumesque:

Then I headed west to Minnetonka to Charlene’s house (Charlene should drop me an email with her blog address) for an afternoon of knitting (me) and spinning (not me). Here’s Charlene, a lovely local spinner/knitter who shall not be named, and part of Kerry. (Very tricky, Kerry!)

Somehow Leah managed to not be in that picture, so she gets her very own picture (Leah, I didn’t get your LiveJournal address, either):

Hey, I was having way too much fun to worry about those blog address details.

I also finished my Rose Garden Dublin Bay socks yesterday. I think they got the Chaos Seal of Approvaltm.

“Hmm, I guess they’re ok. They’re not catnip socks, but they’ll do.”

And I got a good start on my April Project Spectrum socks – my Rainbow Jays. If anyone can tell me exactly what country Regia Nation color 5399 is supposed to be, I’d appreciate it!

The interesting shape of a toe-up Jaywalker reminded me of something and I finally figured out what it was:

Knitting, Randonymity

Random gardening (Wednesday again?!)

39 Comments

Both Mouse and Jane had this fun game on their sites. I thought this was particularly apt:

Cybernetic Handcrafted Android Optimized for Sabotage
Yesterday I actually found a few fun things at my local thrift store:

That first book (Knit Knacks for the Whole Family) is a particular gem. It has patterns for leotards. It has pattern for bonnets that will put “Oswald Owl,” “Klotilde Kat,” or “Lionel Lion” on the back of your head (can fit all sizes!). Cabled argyle socks. A sequined hood. Both a French shrug and an English shrug (the French shrug is frilly, while the English shrug is no nonsense). Interestingly shaped tanks tops/vests called “popovers.” A fringed pixie hat. And more…

Jeanne’s blog entry yesterday has some completely hysterical pictures in it and a Chaos connection – check it out! Plus a lovely picture of more Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk than I’ve seen anywhere outside a store…

Several people asked whether I purchased anything at Coldwater Collaborative on Sunday. Why, yes, as a matter of fact, I did… (Oh, come on – no one’s surprised about that.)

A skein of Meilenweit ColorTweed (it looks a lot like Trekking to me) and a skein of Mountain Colors Bearfoot.

If you’re wondering whether I ever actually knit, I’m working on a pair of socks for myself right now. They definitely have the Project Spectrum colors in them. The pattern is Dublin Bay (links to a pdf) and the yarn is from ebay seller lotusblossom in color RoseGarden2.


“I beg your pardon…”

“I’m going to chew up your RoseGardens!”
Festing, Knitting, Those Cats

In which I verify the physical existence of three knitbloggers

40 Comments

Yesterday, Jeanne and I journeyed west from Minneapolis to the 318 Cafe in Excelsior, Minnesota. There we met up with knitbloggers Amy, Deb, and Lisa D for coffee, lunch, knitting, and lots of laughter. Deb’s putting together a local knitblogger networking event in April – stay tuned for more details.

If Excelsior sounds somehow familiar to you, it might be from the Betsy Devonshire mysteries by Monica Ferris. While Betsy’s store Crewel World is entirely fictional, Excelsior does have a really cool yarn store – Coldwater Collaborative. (I posted some pictures from Coldwater Collaborative about two months ago.) The cozy 318 Cafe is handily located across the street from Coldwater Collaborative. And Deb works at Coldwater, so Jeanne and I got to see the mystical and fabulous storage area “next door.” Let’s just say if you stop by the store and don’t see a color you want, you should definitely ask about it.

From left to right: Jeanne, me, Amy, Deb, and LisaD

And LisaD brought me these super cute little stitchmarkers. Thanks, LisaD – that was so sweet!

“You’re not getting off that easy – I know you had tuna for lunch while you were out. And did you think to bring home a kitty bag?! Hmph.”
Knitting

Secrets of the universe revealed!

26 Comments

Well, ok, not so much secrets of the universe (because everyone knows that answer is 42) as my secret project. Marina was correct – I was making socks. More specifically, birthday socks for my SIL, who was gifted with them Saturday night. She loves her some handknit socks, so she will have an eternal supply. So sayeth I and it will be good.

*blink blink*

Ok, moving right along… These were, roughly, the Thuja socks from knitty, except I did them toe-up and switched to 3×1 rib at the top to maintain the pattern throughout the sock. The yarn was Opal Handpaint and I definitely have enough left for another pair (for someone with much smaller feet than myself). This was stash yarn, purchased a year or so ago.

Fortunately, they’re more evenly matched than they appear in this picture!
“Don’t you rush me. These socks won’t get the Chaotic Seal of Approvaltm if you rush me!”
Knitting, Project Spectrum, Randonymity, Reading

A mystery and a meme, but no tagging

20 Comments

Thank you all so much for your fabulous and sweet comments of yesterday! *sniff* Love you guys.

*collects self*

Ok, in the interest of actually having some knitting content, here’s what I’m working on these days:


What? You can’t tell what it is? Excellent! It’s a secret project, so you shouldn’t be able to figure it out yet. Hopefully it’s at least a bit Project Spectrumesque.

Carrie K tagged me for another book meme. I like book memes. 🙂

Name five of your favourite books, in no particular order. (This is subject to change, depending on what I can remember at any given moment.)
To Say Nothing of the Dog, or How We Found the Bishop’s Bird Stump at Last by Connie Willis. Come on, it’s science fiction written in the form of a Victorian novel, inspired by Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog! (1889) – what’s not to like? You must keep reading past the first 100 pages, even if you’re confused. The narrator’s confused. You’re in his headspace.

Bellwether by Connie Willis. Light-hearted satire about a trends researcher. There are sheep in it.

Someplace To Be Flying by Charles de Lint. What can I say… I want to be a Crow Girl.

War for the Oaks by Emma Bull. Not only is it a good read, it takes place in Minneapolis.

The Bee-Keeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King. I like most of the books in this series. It’s a great take on Sherlock Holmes.

What was the last book you bought?
I bought several books last weekend at Magers & Quinn and Booksmart (about 8 blocks from my condo – I love Uptown, Minneapolis!): Kafka on the Shore, Quicksilver, Separation Anxiety, and Women Who Love Cats Too Much.

What was the last book you read?
Dying to Sell by Maggie Sefton. I thought it was another one of her knitting mysteries when I reserved it at the library. Turns out it’s a realtor mystery and not that great… but I read it anyway. Right now I’m reading S is for Silence by Sue Grafton.

List five books that have been particularly meaningful to you.
Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche by Haruki Murakami. I read this shortly after 9/11 and the parts about terrorism resonated.

Egalia’s Daughters: A Satire of the Sexes by Gerd Brantenberg. Turns some of our basic perceptions of male and female roles topsy turvy and makes very effective points in doing so. I particularly liked “hysterical” being changed to “testerical.”

The Control of Nature by John McPhee. Looks at several places where humans are trying to control nature, including the Mississippi in Louisiana and the mudslide-prone areas in southern California. Written in 1990…

White Noise by Don DeLillo. Nails life in America in these modern times…

Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmermann. This is the book that demystified knitting for me.

Name some books you want to read but just haven’t gotten around to yet.
Kafka on the Shore, Quicksilver, Lambs of God, Blue Shoe, Julie and Julia… I could go on and on.

“Hey, I’m just hanging out on my tissue paper, thinking about a snack. Leave me alone. Go find SRM. That might make me less cranky.”
Knitting, Those Cats

Strawberry fields forever

46 Comments

Blame Jeanne… I’m not sure I would ever have thought of putting a hat on Chaos if it wasn’t for Jeanne’s cats in preemie hats pictures… Yes, I did wash the strawberry hat after this photo shoot – the new dad is allergic to cats (poor thing).

“Are you sure this hat is flattering, Mom?! I’m not sure that red is my color.”

“Really? Chicks will dig me in this hat? Oh, ok then.”

“Hmm, let me try a little ‘come hither’ look.”

“Oh no! I can’t be seen with fur out of place!! Let me just touch up this spot…”

“…so… sleepy…”

Alongs, Knitting, Those Cats

In which I achieve both Olympic Gold and Stashalong Failure

77 Comments

Sorry to send so many of you off to get your eyes checked – I was really excited to have finished (including some steam blocking) and wanted to share but didn’t have time to goof around with the timer and all. Thanks for all your kinds words!

Here’s the sweater in action. (Ignore my red eyes. Me fixing red-eye results in eyes that look like bottomless pits. Trust me that the red-eye is better.)

Besides providing evidence of Chaos’ evil nature (the glow! the glow!), it should also give you a better idea of what a big cat he is. (He’s not fat, either.) This monster can handily fish things off the counter when he stands on his hind legs. But I digress. Back to the sweater…

It’s not easy to take a good photo of a black sweater that’s 50% silk – very reflective. What you can see in the picture below is that there were definite color differences between the skeins. It’s much less pronounced when I’m wearing it (and not being photographed). I didn’t knit from two skeins at once because that’s just such a drag to do when knitting in the round.

Pattern: Hourglass Sweater from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts

Yarn: Brooks Fiber Farm Four Play (50 silk/50 wool)

Modifications: As part of my training, I gathered advice from others who had knit the sweater (let us pause and give thanks for Google). Based on my research, I added some short rows to the back of the neck and am very pleased with the results – no sweater strangulation. I also decreased the size of the neck opening. I’m not a fan of bell sleeves, so I completely redid the sleeves. Finally, since I hate sewing (and with tips from Jeanne), I picked up and knitted in the hems and the neck – which meant that this sweater required very little finishing.

Thoughts on the Result: I love this sweater! I already wore it to work today. Circular swatch notwithstanding, my gauge on the body was a little loose while my gauge on the sleeves was a little tight (my average gauge was perfect!). My sweater fits more loosely than many other Hourglass Sweaters I’ve seen, but I think it’s still very flattering.

Thoughts on the Knitting Olympic Experience: If I planned and prepped for all my major projects like I did for this one, I’m sure I’d have a lot more knitting success stories. I was also very surprised at how quickly I knit this. Had I truly applied myself, I would’ve been done last weekend. Because I apparently don’t have a good grasp of my knitting speed and skill, I didn’t select a sufficiently challenging project. That said, I think I’d rather be in the “pleasantly surprised” boat than in the “oh oh, I think we’re sinking!” boat.

If you’re wondering what those blobs are at the bottom of the picture… That’s my leftover yarn. I originally had five skeins. I purchased two extra skeins, just in case… and I so didn’t need them. Of the seven skeins, I have three full skeins remaining (plus that little bit on the right). So, just to finish off my Stashalong aspirations in fine fashion, I headed over and joined the Rockin’ Socks Club. Sorry, Kim…

“Dang it, you really messed up my fur during that photoshoot! It’ll take me hours to get it just right. I can understand how yarn led you astray. Happens to me all the time.”