getting ish done

I've gotten a lot of knitting time in the last few days, specifically this weekend. I had a weekend seminar at PSU with a bunch of breaks and lunch periods with time to myself. I always like to have a project going that I can pop in my purse and work on when I have a minute, which is what I think one of the greatest things about having knitting for a hobby is. You don't need a block of time to get something accomplished, two minutes standing in line is enough to get a little done. Generally my purse worthy project is a hat because they are small and on circular needles and therefor easily portable.

Currently, I am working on another hurricane hat. But the project has not been without setbacks. I'm making this one for a male friend with a rather large head, so after starting on size 7 needles I decided that wouldn't be big enough and so I ripped it out and ordered some 16 inch size 8 circs. off the interwebs (maybe I picked up a few more things as well... picture at top left, I got 7 sets for like $25, what a deal!). So the hat was on hold til those came. Then, thinking that the looser gauge would still not compensate for a large size head, I cast on 90 instead of 80, which is what the normal pattern recommends. I got almost to where I'd normally start decreasing before I realized that this hat was basically big enough to cover half a watermelon. So I ripped again, and cast on 80 with the size 8's, and It is looking to be just right, but now I only have about 3 inches done and need another few hours to finish it up.

I've also been working on a scrunchable scarf. I had it in my queue on ravelry, but I didn't feel inspired to start until after seeing this one by the addknitter. I cast on 24 with size 9's, and I slipped the first stitch and knitted the last for a nice pretty edging, because my edges are generally a hot mess. I'm using the Lorna's Laces that Hula tried to ambush on superbowl weekend, and it's turning out great. No major color pooling, and the scarf is already over 3 feet long with a third of the ball left. Very generous yardage. Considering the fact that there was snow and hail last week, I'm guessing I'll be needing scarves until the end of March at least, and I'm excited to finish this one up in the next few days and wear it.

Challenge

I did it. I began my first non-accessory knitted item. Thanks to the very helpful sales associate at Stitch Craft, (which is a very nice LYS that's closer than my favorite CloseKnit but without the super impressive selection) I felt prepared to take on a project to challenge my skills. I know more accomplished knitters would sneeze at the antrophologie inspired capelet but for me this is a rather frightening undertaking. Keeping track of the increases, making sure I have a consistent tension, putting the sleeves on hold then going back to them, all of these things are unchartered territory for me. I started today and my goal is to have it done in a week, which seems doable. It is a relatively small project after all, only requiring the three balls of Rowan Little Big Wool that I scored at the sale last weekend. Here's my progress so far:

This looks tiny in the picture but in actuality that hole is a neck hole big enough for my neck to fit in. I've done about 4 inches so far, starting from the top, and to the best of my knowledge no mistakes yet.

Now for Hula show and tell. She is so cute, she still thinks she's a tiny puppy, even though she's almost 2 and weighs over 60 pounds. She loves to cuddle and to be held.

She'll hold still when Chris carries her around, she loves the attention.

Look at those frog legs! She lays like that, or with her legs sticking straight out behind her, all the time.
Disregard dirty clothes, they were wrestling while I separated the laundry.

Hat's in the Bag

Well, I finished my first in-the-round project. Following this nifty pattern, which was simple but clever. The only mod I made was to do a 4x4 ribbing at the bottom instead of a 2x2. It's hard to see because of the series of 9 knits to 1 purl worked over 81 stitches. I think I'll be making more of these, because I've had two more requests for hats and this one is simple yet stylish (It's difficult to see the spiral pattern because the yarn is dark, but take my word for it, it's cool). One thing I've decided is that I need some new circulars before I start a new one though. Working with this 85% wool, 15% silk yarn they definitely didn't allow it to 'glide' smoothly. The hardest part for me was when it got to the double pointed needles at the end, there gets to be very little working space to maneuver in. I'm sure that I'll improve with practice though. It fits the hub's head nicely, and even stretches to fit mine. I haven't blocked it because I'm not exactly sure how, but I'll look into that.

It's a good thing that I finished this last night, because today my dear Hula decided that she thought knitting was fun and wanted to try to. Unfortunately, the lack of thumbs meant that instead of knitting we got this:


Yeah. Nice. It extended onto the bed, but the bed wasn't made so I didn't take a picture of that. This is the SECOND time that Hula has gone after that yarn. She's obsessed. She's jealous. She just cant' get enough. After giving her a firm talking to, she wouldn't come into the bedroom. I think she was rightfully ashamed, don't you? Well I've learned my lesson, no leaving yarn (or projects!) where Hula can reach while I'm gone. Otherwise we end up with a big fat knotted mess.

In other news, Belle got chased away by a mean neighbor cat this weekend and hasn't come home, so keep my sweet girl in your kitty thoughts and prayers.



My little Belle when she was a tiny baby.

My Xanadu

Today I made a visit to my Xanadu. It's like the cave of wonders in Aladdin. Living in close proximity to Portland has its bonuses, and an awesome one is the specialty shops. This, combined with the fact that there's no sales tax, pretty much makes me incapable of sound reason when I head to my favorite local yarn shop, Close Knit. It's not the closest (I live in WA so I have to head over the river to get there) but it sure is worth the extra 15 minutes. This place has got it all. As a beginning knitter, I am like a kid in a candy shop at this place.

I've realized that my knitting habits are a pretty accurate reflection of my general habits. I always have a selection of books to read, my homework gets done part of this assignment here and part of that one there, I like to have a couple of options for dinner every night rather than a weekly menu prepared before hand. Similarly, certain projects appear to be neglected because I jump from one to another. Right now, I have scarf half way done, a hat almost complete, and a shrug/vest in its infancy. The hat is closest to being done, only about 20 decrease rows left. Since it's my first in the round project, I'm pretty pleased with how it's turning out.

Another way in which my knitting habits correlate to my general behavior is that I'm a hoarder. I don't like throwing things away, I keep things for sentimental value and because "I might need it!" (this is what I always have to tell the hubs to keep him from moving/throwing away my stuff. Any of you who knits would have realized this tendency would lead to a quickly growing stash, especially for someone who just started knitting (I learned a while ago but it didn't catch on) three months ago. I've already gotten into the habit of buying both yarns if I can't decide between two, which led the hubs to purchase me this:


So cute, perfect for storing yarn, but I think I'll have to go get another sometime soon (hubs didn't realize how big the stash has already grown...).

You'll notice peeking through there the loot I procured at my Xanadu today. This gorgeous hank of Lorna's Laces shepherd worsted, in the watercolor colorway. I think a more accurate description would be 'peacock' because that's what these colors remind me of (this picture is pretty true, wouldn't you agree it's peacock-y?). Basically, it's 225 yards of glory. I would have picked up two but this was the only one in this colorway, so I'll be agonizing what to make out of this yarn for a while. I want to use every inch, and it will be something for me. Probably a scarf, possibly a cowl, we'll have to see. Pattern suggestions welcome. I love it so much I may sleep with it tonight.

And finally, since this is my first post, I'll leave you with some pictures of my non-knitting life.



Girl #1, Belle, Circa May 2007
Girl #2, Hula, Circa August 2007
Hubs and I, est. 17 August 2007, taken New Year's Eve 2008