Jofrog is Knitfrog!
March 31 2005
I took a break tonight from the Santana tank (I know it's almost done, but I needed a break.) I also needed to get started on the first sample sock for my magic loop class. I want to have one all done and one ready to start when my class starts next Wednesday. At first I'd thought that these socks would be for me. I loved the yarn in the ball. I offered them to my husband, but he wasn't quite sure. As I knit on them I decided that I liked them a lot more in the skein than knit into a sock. Bummer. Mike, on the other hand, loves them as socks so socks for him they are. Long socks for him they are! Back to the Santana top today. My plan is for it to be done for Friday. Can I do it? That's a lot of crocheting for a knitter. What will get in the way? Only time will tell.Knit knit knittin' on Michael's Socks
March 30 2005
I know that I said that I'd start off this week with a picture of the completed back of the Santana Tank. Sorry to dissapoint, but it's gone much quicker than I'd expected and I did all of the seaming tonight during a two hour Amazing Race! All it needs now is a croched slip stitch edge... along all of the edges! It's way too late tonight though, tomorrow is another day! Mmm Sherbert
All together now, "ooh, flat seams".
March 29 2005
Jofrog? Here. Sign for your package. It's Twinkletoes yarn from Margene! I won her contest last week and was treated to this incredible stuff! Hmmm, what to do with it? The color variation is really subtle, but the whole colorway is pretty dark. It might look good in socks with a lace pattern because it isn't too variagated, or maybe something completely different like a little baby sweater. Oooh so pretty. (I'm very hooked on baby sweaters at the moment. It's my first impression on what all yarn should be!) Well, it will take a while to figure out the final fate of this yarn, but it's all about the process! Right?Mail Call
Click to Open
March 28 2005
I made these two little guys from the "Magic Friends" pattern from Idle Hands. Apparently it is in the Knitter's Stash book as well. They were one of the most fun little projects I've done and so quick! I used Funny for both of them and usually you'll only need one ball, (although check to make sure that there is enough yardage, they need 65 yards, and depending on the type of funny you may need more than one, the bear actually broke into a second because it only had 61 yards on it! What a pain!) The bear is currenly on display in the window at my LYS, and the bunny will live out the rest of his life with Mariko as part of Operation Hairmail. Although they miss each other I'm sure that they are both enjoying their new lives! This was a really fun project, I still have enough pink left over from the bunny's ears to make another whole animal, and I think that I have enough yellow left over from Alice's sweater to make a yellow one too!I Miss My Buddy!
March 27 2005
I participated in Opearation Hairmail that was hosted by Tammy over at Polka Dot Mittens. Take a minute to go and read the guidelines, what a hoot! I have such a sweet tooth, and who doesn't love getting mail? I was in! Super Eggplant Mariko and I were paired up. I'll let you show what I sent her, but look at this box that I got! What fun! As much as I love candy, I love handmade things even better. The best thing in this package, and other than the pen, the only thing that will still be around next week, is this little bag, which I'm sure Mariko made herself. Mariko, did you crochet the bunny too or was he a bought accent? Either way, he's super cute, and already being used to hold my knitting notions. Don't believe me? Click to see! Thank you thank you, thank you Mariko, and a big thank you to Tammy who set this all up and didn't even participate herself! So selfless, what a great gal! She's going to be taking her blog on the road for the next few months, it should be fun to see what remote destinations she posts from.Happy Easter!
Click for a bigger look. I, um, ate some chocolate before I remembered to take a picture! Whoops!
March 25 2005
Someone left a comment on my post from Wednesday saying that they had two socks on a circular needle that I could borrow to show my class. After thinking and thinking and thinking, I can't figure out who it can be... was it you? Yes, I'd love to borrow them to show the class. Thanks for the offer mystery commenter!Claim Your Comment!
I had great intentions to show you a completed back for the Santana tank this morning. Then this happened!* Whoops, there's no back, but there sure is a belly! It's really close though, and that's with minimal knitting time. Imagine how quickly this tank could have been finished on a vacation week!
Have a happy easter everyone, don't eat more candy than I will, and anyone that knows me knows that's barely possible!
*Thanks to my husband, who took this picture last night and then said "You have to blog about this tomorrow". He's the same guy who, when I told him about the new design I was thinking up, and asked if he knew what yarn I was going to knit it in, answered "Koigu?" Ahh, these fiber husbands, things rub off I guess!I'm Back With No Back
March 24 2005
Yesterday was a long day, I deserved new yarn!
This is the yarn and needles I'll be using to teach my magic loop class. I was so close to the pinks and black, but the green just called to me, so green it is! Ahh, there's no better pick me up than new yarn.Long, long, long day
March 23 2005
In the past year or so I've been teaching a fair amount of knitting classes. Up to this point it's just be beginner knitting (a hat), and advanced beginner knitting (a baby sweater). I'm itching to do something else, really I want to teach a FI hat class, or a knit beaded bracelet class, but apparently people don't sign up for classes like that at my LYS. People ask for them, they are offered, and no one signs up! They may try again in the late spring/early summer when the beginner craze wanes a bit, but for now they are sticking with the basics.
That said, there is one new class that I'll be teaching... Magic Loop Socks! People have been crazy about socks since there was an article in the Boston Globe on the self striping yarns and alternatives to DPNs. I'm really excited about the class. I've used the magic loop method to do two sleeves, in the round, at once for a sweater, and for mittens when I didn't have the right size DPN, but never for socks. Shh, don't tell my students that! I think that I might buy the materials today to try it out. I need to have done one sock by the time that class starts. Good news is that they use DK weight sock yarn for the sock classes so it won't be a long endeavor. Bad news is my Boye Needlemaster set's cords are too stiff for magic loop, so new needles it is.
Wish me luck.Teacher, Teacher, May I Go to the Bathroom?
March 22 2005
It's time to finish up this Diamond FI sweater and get on to the spring/summer knitting. I've had a decent amount of knitting time lately, but very little quality knitting time, so... new project it is!
My LYS had a basket of Reynolds Santana yarn in the cotton section. I'd passed by it a few times and thought, "Hmm, I can't even imagine what I'd ever do with that yarn". Later, while flipping through some pattern binders I came across this pattern. Huh, so that's what you do with that yarn, and huh, it looks good!
Needless to say, pattern and yarn came home with me, and pattern is in use and two of the six sections are knit and waiting for a middle section to join them together. Quick knit? Um I think so, especially coming from the fingering weight cardigan!
Sum-sum-summer-time
Somebody join us puh-leez
March 21 2005
Yesterday was the knitsmiths swap, and boy was it a good one! When you get that many good
knitters together to give up their unwanted stash yarn in hopes of bringing home some new
wonderful yarn to fill its place how could things go wrong?
I went through my stash to see what I could part with and this is what I came up with. From
the top clockwise: 8 skeins of Rowan Cork in a beautiful green, 1.5 skeins of Rowan Cork in
a navy blue, Opal sock yarn, 2 skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic, 1 skein of Joslyn's Fiber
Farm "Sockers" yarn, and scattered around the outside some Brown Sheep Bulky and Worsted and
some Cascade 220.
I didn't have any expectations of what I'd leave with. I was thinking maybe some new sock
yarn, but otherwise I was open to the possibilities. Once again my expectations were
exceeded. Again from the top clockwise: 2 cones of fingering weight shetland wool, 1 skein
of Shaefer Anne, 3 skeins of Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK, and some assorted fingering weight
green and red wool.
I'm most excited about the fingering weight cone yarn. Alison had bought it to become part of a
Fair Isle sweater, and before she told me that I was creating visions of my own sweater in
my head. Later I found the green and red to possibly go along with it. We'll see where
that goes in my crazy Jofrog designing mind.
The Yorkshire Tweed DK was a great score, and is destined to be a child's ragalan sweater,
possibly with contrasting sleeves.
After the orderly picking was done there was a free for all where I scored the Schaefer Ann.
(Click for a bigger
picture.) How that was missed by the other ladies, I don't know. What I'll do with it,
that I don't know either. It really should be a shawl. It's really my mom's colors... what
do you think? Would you wear a lace shawl Mom?Swap-a-roo
March 20 2005
It was time to switch out her winter collar for a more spring-like outfit.
Enjoy the day, (before the snow hits in the northeast!)Welcome Spring
Naomi was basking in the spring sunshine.
March 18 2005
Who was left? Repeat! The first of three sleeve repeats is done as of last night! My gauge is still a little loose, even on the smaller needles, but it will just have to be okay.
Do you use twist ties to tie up your garbage?
Does anyone? This is a real question. I don't know anyone that does, yet they give you TONS of twist ties in every box. This is convinient, I guess, because they get used for other things all of the time, like securing the bag of frozen berries or chocolate chips. If they weren't in the garbage bag box I guess I'd have to find a place to buy them, (can you buy them separately?), but still it baffles me. What about the draw string garbage bags... do they come with twist ties too, because that would just be completely ridiculous.Pete and Repeat Were in a Boat. Pete Fell Out.
Now for Something Completely Different
March 17 2005
Little knitting is going on around here. Okay well, normal amounts of knitting, but not much progress. Somehow my gauge has changed in between sleeve #1 and sleeve #2. No difference in anything but my own knitting. I knit the body and sleeve #1 on size 2s and 4s, (I'm a tight FI knitter). When I started sleeve #2 and got through the cuff pattern it seemed wider. I set it up against the first sleeve and yup, it's larger. Um my gauge is all of the sudden way off! I'm going to have to knit sleeve #2 on US3s! Had there been weeks or even days in between working on them I'd maybe be able to accept this, but I cast on right away! All of this made me want to do some productive knitting.
In case you've forgotten, that will become this pattern.
I also picked up some yarn for a little secret project today. It's not wool, it's not cotton, it's not natural, and it won't be a scarf. Hmmm, what's left?She Wore an Itsy Bitsy Tini Winie...
March 16 2005
I'm not the only crafty person around here. My husband sometimes has artistic urges... sometimes they manifest themselves in an evening of painting, and sometimes they are months of planning for a small project. This past weekend the small project came to life.
In addition to him having infrequent artistic urges, he is a big fan of coasters. I know, who's a fan of coasters? My husband, that's who! He's also a fan of art, so with some tiles from Home Depot, some Modge Podge, and some pictures from a modern art book he made these!
At least two more are to come to fill out the set. After that the possibilities are endless. Knitting coasters for the next knit night? Sushi coasters for a sushi party? Who knows. Put in your orders, I'll see what I can do!Artist in Residence
Andy Worhal and Chuck Close Self Portraits
March 15 2005
The clown socks keep getting longer.
I finished the cuff pattern on my second sleeve.
Interest rates are going back up again.
This is growth people, and it's lovely.Growth
March 14 2005
Spring is almost here and it's time to turn over a new sleeve!
As you can see, I wasted no time in casting on for sleeve number 2. Will it be done by April 1? Who knows. I may cut my steeks and sew in the first sleeve now, while I'm knitting the second, to ease on some of the finishing. Any reasons why I shouldn't? Please share!Turning a New Sleeve
March 11 2005
Thanks to everyone for their quick responses yesterday, I decided to go out and get everything for my newest project. Now, I know where to go in the Boston area for good, high quality yarn, but I have no clue where the best place is for good acrylic yarn (or specifically the Microspun called for in the pattern). Luckilly the two major craft store chains aren't far from each other, and are both on their way to The Fabric Place in Framingham.
The first major craft store chain that I stopped at was having a 25% off sale on all of their yarn. The two isles of yarn were mobbed with older women with novelty yarn... ugly novelty yarn. It was hard to get by them to look for the descent acrylic. After two swings through I gave up and left.
Thankfully the second store payed off with many different colors of the Microspun. After feeling this yarn I'm glad that I searched for it. Of course there are tons of yarns from my LYS that I could substitute for it, but it really feels pretty incredible. I am a bit worried that the yarn will be very splitty, (it looks so in the skein already), but I'm sure I'll work through it.
The trip to The Fabric Place was a bit less eventful (except for me getting lost despite the fact I've been there twice before). I found my fabric for this project quickly and then found some for a new DPN case! Look for that one on a blog near you soon.
So, now you want to see how it looks all together. Well here it is. (Remember Miranda, no clicking!)Materials Obtained
March 10 2005
My best friend Miranda is getting married this July. She was a bridesmaid in my wedding and I'll be Maid of Honor in hers. She is an amazing friend and did an incredible job with everything wedding and shower related for me. I'd love to return the favor.
Me being the crafty person that I am, I can't not make her something. I looked through the Summer 2004 Knitty and settled on this design. What do you think? I showed it to my husband and he hated it, but he often can't visualize things until they are here in person. That was a few months ago, and I'm still thinking of it. I think it's cute, but is it too weird? By the time you read this I may already have the materials, (I'm thinking about going to the fabric store today with some more found time), but your opinion still matters to me!If You are Miranda Stop Reading
March 9 2005
My clown socks are growing in leaps and bounds. I think that one is ready for it's top ruffle and the other is just an inch or two away! Who knows how that happened, despite my lack of knitting on them, but it did. Now I'm thinking towards my next socks.
I know that Colleen has talked openly about her distain for the Knitting Pattern a Day callender, but I'm actually quite pleased with it. Of course there are things that I laugh at or things that I'd never make, but there are enough good patterns to make it exciting to turn the page every day. Monday's patern was for these "Roman Rib Stitch Toe-up Socks".
I have some hand-painted sport-weight sock yarn left over from when I was part of Joslyn's Fiber Farm's Sock of the Month club. I'm thinking it's probably going to be this purple pair.
I'm, of course, still working on the Diamond FI, but a girl needs some socks to work on also, and once these clown babies are done I'm going Roman!Beware of Low Flying Socks
Sheep's Gift Color:Claret Basking in 12 degree F winter sunshine.
March 8 2005
Yesterday was a wonderfully low key day here. (I hear this is what Sundays sometimes are in other people's homes.) I got to sit around, catch up on some TV shows I'd taped last week, and knit. I knit so much that I'm now FOUR INCHES farther into my sleeve! That means less than four to go until sleeve #1 is finished. (It would be less than two if my arms were normal length, but I share the ape arms with Kerrie and lenthen I must do.)
When I wasn't knitting on my sleeve, (like during 24, there is no complicated knitting going on then), I knit on my clown sock and the second one is now 2.5 inches longer. What a productive day... and Mike, some time in there I even cleaned the kitchen!
*I wonder what type of Google searches today's title will invoke!
Four Inches of Growth*
March 7 2005
Lack of knitting time makes knitting progress slow. Whenever I've had a chance I've sat down to do a round or two on the first sleeve of my Diamond FI sweater. This isn't really the type of project that you can sit down for a round or two, but it's that or nothing.
As you can see, it's getting there, about 2/3 done I figure, then it's off to sleeve two. I'd originally set a six week goal for me with this sweater, but with some unexpeced work duties and a sickness thrown in there I'm a bit off schedule. I still really want to be wearing it by April Fool's Day. Luckilly I have the morning off from work and my plan... eat breakfast, walk Naomi, sit and knit! Are You Tired of This Sleeve Yet?
March 6 2005
Thanks to everyone that was "In Glove" with me! It was a great motivation for me as well as many of you I think, but it seems that it has run it's course. It's time to look towards spring knits now and retire this knitalong.
Thanks to everyone that participated:
Down With Glove
Me 2.5 pairs done
Lydia
Mary Beth 2 pairs done
Sandy 4+ pairs done
Deb
Susan
Margene
Ginny
Suz
Cece
Amanda
Jaimi
Chris
Elizabeth in PA
Vicki
Amy
Kim
Annie
Adelle
Green=Started
Orange=One Hand Done
Purple=One Pair Done
Red=Even More Done!
March 4 2005
So, now that I'm back to knitting again I'm back to thinking about what's next!
I almost ordered some Silky Wool this week to make Halle. I even picked out the color (#19), but something keeps me from ordering the yarn.
Then today I saw a post at The Woolen Rabbit about her Morehouse Merino lace weight camisole and it made me think of the "Victoria Tank" from last summer's IK that Amber did in Dale's Stork yarn (although I can't find any evidence of it on her blog).
But then, if I'm going to do lace anyways, and summery anyways, maybe I should do this pattern, that I've been holding onto for over a year now. I'll definitely get more use out of it. My original plan for this one was doing it in calmer. Ahhh, a calmer lace cardigan! Oooh.
Then, of course there are the two Rebecca patterns that have been waiting on my sidebar for ages now (although the mohair against my skin might drive me crazy, and I don't have very sensitive skin) and of course the Paulina tank that I just can't seem to make grow when I work on it and have no motivation to work on when it isn't warm.
The worst part of all of this indecision is that I have a store credit burning a hole in my pocket! What's a girl to do? I hope at least this has given you some ideas to tempt your future knitting... isn't that what we bloggers are here for anyways?Back to Knittin'
March 3 2005
I spent some of my recouperating time fringing an afghan for an older woman with arthritis who is currently going through chemo therapy. When I agreed to do it (and weave in all of her ends) I didn't think that it would be a big job. I thought that knitting the afghan was the long and tedious part but boy does fringing take a lot of time! ...and a lot of yarn!
Well, it's done now, and will be given to her today before she goes in for another round of chemo. It was very cosy to be working under while I was sick and now it can be passed on to her grand daughter who will hopefully give it the appreciation that it deserves.
Other than the fringing I've been too sick to knit. I did pick up my Diamond FI sleeve last night for a round or two, and I'm feeling better this morning than I have in a while, so here's looking forward to uninterupted by sickness knitting time!On the Fringe of Feeling Better
March 1 2005
I got my first sickness for this winter season Saturday morning... hours before we left for Maine I was curled up on my couch drinking juice and water and trying to decide if I was burning up and couldn't stand blankets on me or if I was freezing cold and unable to be warm enough! Not fun.
We still went up to Maine, and stayed in a beautiful B&B, The Inn at Bath. We highly recommend it. The weekend was a bit low-key, but we still got to take a wonderful winter stroll along the beach with Naomi and also a quick stop in at Halcyon Yarn. It was HUGE, and a bit overwhelming. I was hoping to see more of the wheels and looms, but there was a class going on in the back room, so I didn't get back there.
Overall it was a great weekend that could have been a wonderful weekend if I was feeling better. Alison, to answer your question, I knit about two rounds on my clown socks all weekend and nothing since I've been home!
I'll be back here in a few days when I'm feeling better.2 Sick 2 Knit (and Blog)
