Jofrog is Knitfrog!
May 31 2005
What do you do when it's a week before a wedding shower that you are throwing, almost midnight, and you realize that though the food is all planned and the games are all set, you have no favors? Search online for crocheted flower patterns and get going of course! I found this one, which was the perfect simple pattern I was looking for and made up a prototype that night. The next day found me at A Good Yarn, (who is having a big sale starting tomorrow), searching for the right flower yarn. I ended up with Reynolds Ole' Ole' in purple and an H hook and off to Knitsmiths I went! By Sunday afternoon, despite crochet induced right elbow pain, I had 15 of these flowers and I had gotten the time to make each one down to nine minutes. Not bad for a home made shower gift. These will all go on little bags filled with pink and cream M&Ms. Favors, done!May Flowers... Just in Time For June
All of these Boston May showers produced these unusual flowers at the park!
May 27 2005
I got gauge last night on size 5 needles! I Got Gauge!
What, you're still here? You didn't expect progress pics did you? It was past 10:30 when I cast on again! Use your imagination, it's just like yesterday's pic, but narrower.
May 26 2005
#1 Calmer Is there really a need for a #2? I've been waiting for ages for the Calmer that I ordered through A Good Yarn. Colleen's yarn, that was ordered well after mine, came in a week later. Other Rowan yarns came in right away, but I waited patiently for mine. It's like it knew that I was on vacation because the day I came back, it arrived! In case you've forgotten, I'm using it for Sirdar pattern 5921. (See sidebar for a popup picture.) I decided to go for the sleeve swatch method. Started on US 7s, realized, there's no good way to measure gauge on this thing! Can anyone help? The stated gauge is 23st/4in over pattern. Problems are: (a)How the heck do you measure gauge in lace; (b)the larger lace motif changes stitch count during the four row repeat, which count do I use? I tried to measure the whole width of the piece before I started increasing and figure out the gauge that way. (I started with 54 stitches.) That turned out too large on the 7s. RIP. Started on 6s. Still maybe too large by going with that method. It looks too big that's for sure. Do I take Calmer to 5s? Was I wrong to think that I could knit Calmer (who's stated gauge is 21st/4in) in place of Sirdar Rio DK (stated gauge 22st/4in). I don't think so, but... help! Despite this... Ahhh Calmer! I don't hold it against you wonderful yarn. You and I will live a wonderful life together. Maybe I'll cheat and make the smaller size! No, bad knitter, get gauge or bust!Things That Ease the Transition From Paridise
May 25 2005
I couldn't wait to get started on my Tiptoe socks but I patiently held off until I hit my seat on the plane in Boston's Logan airport last Monday morning. I sat, I buckled, I pulled out the needles and the yarn! One week later, after lots of plane time, hours of delays at our layover in Miami, more plane time, and of course poolside knitting, I came home with these! These will be super cute with shorts this summer in my clogs. See... If only I were one to wear capris I could wear them even sooner, but after being a tall kid, with short pants, and being warned often of the "rising flood waters" I can't even try them on! For those who care, I used Koigu for the foot, and three colors of JaWool for the heel flap. The JaWool is significantly thinner than the Koigu so I used it doubled with the reinforcement thread for the whole flap and it worked out perfectly.Started and Finished Outside of My Home
May 24 2005
Dispite the obvious draws of paradise, it's nice to be back in a country where you don't have to worry about the water. Mexico was beautiful, and warm, and sunny, and HOT! A perfect situation to We just got back last night, and I'm off to work this morning, but before I go, I know there are a few things you've been waiting to see. How about a Mexico top, in Mexico! There was a bit of doubt that it would debut on the Yucatan, but debut it did, on the beach to the ammusement of photo shoot onlookers. Click here to see the back. (I think we dissapointed some guy who was sure we were photographing my new back tatoo. No, sorry guy, what you don't share in the excitement for the back of my newly knitted top?) I cast on for my first tulip sock as soon as we got on the plane Monday morning. On the way home yesterday, a bit before 7AM, in the Cancun airport disaster struck. Turning the heel for my second sock, my brand new Bryspun DPN broke! Is this sad or what? Thankfully they come in sets of five and I was able to finish the socks on the way home. Pictures to come tomorrow!Ahh, the Beauties of Potable Water
Of course it's d!
May 15 2005
All is packed. Some socks and some sweaters to work on. Sunblock to protect, frisbee for the beach. Ahh, ready to go! We had a nice weekend here to prepare for leaving. I got to give my mom her Mothers' day present and visit the lilacs at the same time. And a close up of the pattern and the beads. Thanks Margene for the yarn. I still have plenty left for something else too! It also seemed like a great time to try out my new socks! Time for sleep now, we'll be leaving our apartment at 5AM! Oh, and how could I forget... my Mexico top is done! Yeah! Look forward to modeled pictures when we return! (There may be some in progres, fitting, preview pictures on the Knitsmiths website sooner. Alison is sneeky with that camera!)Leaving in the Morning!
May 12 2005
I packed my clothes for Mexico last night. Here's what I'm taking. Looks like plenty to me! I don't plan to wear much else. Mexico sunshine, here I come! Tomorrow I pack the knitting. I expect it to be a bit more than this!Packing For Mexico: Part I
May 11 2005
First of all, Lauren, you are right "Knit and Nosh" so much better than "Stitch and Nosh" or "Stitch and Bitch". I think that's what I had originally, but somehow I ended up with "Stitch and Nosh" as the final invite to my friends and showing up here! I love having people over. I love planning parties. We have a big holiday party for our friends every year. After we got married we had a "New Plate Party" to eat off of the new plates. We made a ton of sushi a while back and had a "Sushi party". Any excuse for cooking for people, I'm in! My wedding was the best party I've ever thrown and now I'm in the midst of planning Miranda's wedding shower... let me tell you, I love it! Back to the knitting... we had a great time last night! Good, simple, easy food and lots of ladies hanging around in my living room! Can you figure out who was over? A few bloggers and a Knitsmith without a blog. One has already mentioned it on her blog, another in my comments. No spoiling if you were there but feel free to reveal yourself. We will definitely be doing this again soon, but not before Mexico! Less than a week to go and so much to do!Knit and Nosh
May 10 2005
As was revealed quite early yesterday, I will be knitting Tiptoe from Knitty. Since I seem to be in a sock kick at the moment, and we are going into spring and summer, I'm going to make them short ankle socks to wear with clogs! This is meant to be my by the pool or on the beach knitting in Mexico. Will I be able to wait until the plane to cast on? We'll see. I'm having some friends over tonight for a "Stitch and Nosh". Dinner and then knitting, doesn't that sound nicer than "Stitch and Bitch"? I really hate that phrase. Any group I've ever been in has been more Stitch and Socialize, Stitch and Admire, Stitch and Relax. I'm going to head up the movement to change all groups to Stitch and "something pleasant". Who's in? It's True
May 9 2005
I'm knitting up a storm here. To finish the Mexico top, nah... to finish the Rebecca cardi, nah... to finish my lowest priority project, the Trecking Socks. Why you ask? Well look at what followed me home yesterday. I can't start one more project without finishing something, and the trecking socks are the closest to being finished so fury hath speedy needles. Anyone care to hazard a guess on what this yarn will become? There could be a prize in it for you! Knittin' My Tailfeathers Off
May 8 2005
Lovely, Lovely Sunday
Naomi may not agree!
All Clean! Treat time?
'Cause I'm outta here!
May 6 2005
...without filling you in on the progress on my Mexico top. It's still not done, but after Tuesday's long day I finished all but the left half of the top. Not bad I think! Probably not picture worthy though. We may just have to wait for the fun in the sun on the beach picture to properly debut this beauty. Other knitting news... I cast on for my second Trecking sock and knit the first three rounds or so! And... oh, I guess that's about it! Le sigh. Is it time for Mexico yet? Enjoy your weekends in MD or elsewhere. Stop in and visit me at work if you are in Boston! Happy Mothers' Day to all of the moms out there, especially mine and Mike's. We love you both and I'm really looking forward to seeing you next weekend. The lilacs are a-bloomin'.I Can't Go Much Longer
May 3 2005
One Trecking sock finished last night. It took 38.4g of yarn from my 100g/459yd skein. That means that I used 176.26 yards of yarn on this sock (give or take). I love my new toy! Hugely long day today, (hence the blogging before 6AM!). The good and the bad news is that it's going to be a very long day with nothing much to do, where knitting is an accepted use of free time. As unbelievable as it sounds, there is such thing as too much time to knit! One Down
May 2 2005
I have so many projects going right now, it's hard to stick with one, but finally I buckled down and finished the sleeves on the Rebecca wrap, or as I like to think of it, I created a butterfly! I also got to knit on my Trecking sock during a training session Saturday morning. At the begining of the morning I had done one or two gusset decreases. At the end of the training it was here! The best training I've ever been to for sure, and at not one point was I frustrated that it was completely useless. Lets be honest, Saturday morning, what would I have been doing if I wasn't there? Probably knitting on my couch. This was a fair substitute. It especially adds that I love the colors in this sock. They are unusually fun and special! PS. For all of those asking, I got my balance from Caley & Whitmore in Somerville MA. 617/623-7430 (and I love it!)Butterfly In The Sky, I Can Go Twice As High
