knitwit1965

Blog? I have a blog? Right.

2011-01-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

I keep being reminded I have a blog. People ask me. Ravelry has the link RIGHT THERE. But I don't write. I read other people's blogs. I am fascinated by the volume of text people are producing every day. I am not there. I am simply not there.

Right now I am crocheting a star shaped doll bunting for my children's dolls. These dolls remain naked around our house, no matter how many clothing items I make or get from Freecycle. Until the dolls start wearing clothes regularly, I am loathe to spend actual money on actual clothes. The star shaped pattern can be found here....http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=112059

Next I plan to actually FINISH a Christmas package for someone very dear. I plan to make one of these http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-knit-a-quotproperquot-English-tea-cosy/ if only because the author amused me with her text.

That word is so loaded sometimes... Finish. Complete. In knitting, for me, this means sew - sew in ends, sew on buttons, sew up seams. Finish. Technically I have not finished the hat my daughter loves to wear inside out where the ending thread is readily visible. She wears it. She loves it. Who needs to sew in that end in order to declare it finished. So many things are not ever going to be finished. So, ok. No problem. There are bigger fish to fry.

mmmm. Fried fish.

J walks

2009-03-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

It is so much fun to watch a baby walk - totally keeps me from knitting that baby blanket for T's cousin....

SHAWL!

2008-05-26T16:47:00.001-07:00

This is just the start (the bottom 3 inches) of a shawl in the most luscious yarn from Interlacements - Lotus, in colorway 402 (apparently no longer available, sigh, lovely greens and aquamarines), 100% silk. Keep in mind that I have yet to be disappointed by an Interlacements yarn and they are one company I am allowed to stash away when I am at Stitches or my LYS and I see their yarn https://interlacementsyarns.com/subcategories.asp?id=114

The pattern is from thatloganchick/blogspot.com - Logan's Falling Leaves. She took a Falling Leaves pattern, noted the finished leaves did not fall in the original and reversed them so they do. Yippee! Onward and upward, though I might have to rip it out and start anew if the leaves do not pop quite the way they should though the fabulousness of the colors.

More UFOs completed or demolished

2006-09-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

Well, so much for documenting UFOs... instead I demolished 3, completed several. The EZ Baby surprise jacket is done but for buttons (I plan to make some frogs), 2 additional Baby Surprise jackets are done (one has its buttons, one still needs buttons). I made up a Keyhole Ascot Scarf. Love this knitting thing.

Here is a pic of the Baby Surprise trio.

I made the buttons on the completed one, crocheted 'em. Fun stuff.

I do enjoy making this sweater - about as much fun as I have had recently using the garter stitch for an entire sweater. There was this sweater I used to make - a crossover pattern - that was a lot of fun with the garter stitch.... Maybe it is time to make another crossover pattern sweater, refresh my memory.

I think the next UFO to be tackled is the insanity lace shawl. It takes me about an hour to make an inch, but I am only 12 inches from the length I want... then I want to put a border around it.... see? Insanity. But it is LOVELY and will be fabulous when done so it did not get dismantled.

I dismantled a scarf made in blues and sea colors (I have plans for the yarns, small item plans), a ruffled swing dress for a baby (I have new plans for that yarn and plans to get a different yarn for the dress - the yarn I got was not working for me in that pattern), and the sari yarn scarf I was making but was confused as to where I was in the pattern and the pattern was not showing up in the yarn anyway so why bother with the fancy stitch? Out it came! It actually felt GOOD to take these apart and bag up the yarns and put them away. Hmmmm.

Working through UFOs

2006-07-10T19:37:00.000-07:00

Completed UFO number 123 (haphazardly chosen number, who really knows how many UFOs I have? I will make it a goal to document them all for completion or demolition when I return from North Carolina the 20th) - the Clapotis from knitty.com (pattern published 2004!) in Rick Rack by Interlacements. The pattern used 1 skein (1100 yards). Gotta like that for sewing in ends!

Lovely striping through the bulk of the shawl, with minor (to me, Janice would disagree) puddling as the increases and decreases made their presence felt. I am very pleased with the result! And that is one UFO down, oodles to go.... 2006 is stash use and UFO completion year. Whoohoo!

Next to do? My browns poncho - I have three shades of brown yarn in wools, I plan to make it into a poncho along these lines http://makeashorterlink.com/?K3E45136D - a Spikey Poncho described and modelled at About.com. Each stripe of yarn will be knitted in a different texture - medium brown will be a basket weave, dark brown an eyelet (I think) and light brown a lovely cable panel. Right now my calculations indicate I have enough medium brown yarn to do a 6" x 60" stripe. I am working on the dark brown panel calculations next. I plan to knit up the light brown cable panel, then knit the medium brown in such a way that I do not have to sew the two together, picking up stiches as I go. We'll see.

Wavy hat and back to knitting!

2006-05-20T22:50:00.000-07:00

Has it really been since April 2005 that I posted last? So much has changed. Had a kid, got a masters (completed the program anyway) and designed a HAT (ok, not the first hat I have designed, but the nicest to date).

Based on the feather and fan lace pattern, this hat has 9 panels, was knitted in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino and is done in 5 colors so the stripes rotate between being a ridge and a valley (2 rows per color). This hat is very soft and comfy and not too warm but warm enough for San Jose in springtime. This version was knit from the top down. I am currently working on a similar hat from the bottom up. I love it, love it, love it!

More sooner, rather than later.

greenbkt46

2005-04-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

greenbkt46
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

I adore, simply adore this blanket. I think I used 4 skeins of Cascade 220, and 1 ball of the Splash. The Pinwheel pattern can be found online at http://www.knitlist.com/00gift/round-baby-blanket.htm

This is what I have been doing instead of making the baby sweater (and instead of writing my term paper due this week, alas).

Beanie

2005-02-02T11:25:00.000-08:00

Beanie
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

Heheh. This was based on a pattern from the 2005 Pattern A Day knitting calendar my spectacular husband got for me this Christmas. The photo THEY had did NOT seem so much like a rubber bathing cap of the type we wore in the 1970s for swimming. Using THIS colorway it really and truly does, especially if the wearer has their hair up or is bald, like this manequin head we have. Must make a brim to reduce this effect. Must get coordinating color and yarn to complete brim... sigh. Lisa will have to wait even longer for this hat.

Taking my time...

2005-02-02T07:37:00.000-08:00

Smelling the roses. Not working on the Knitalong - homework and practicum and a couple of other projects have intervened.... In case some of my buddies were worried I would finish months ahead of the pack. ;) Back to reading for class tonight!

Detail of EZ Sweater 1/21

2005-01-21T21:48:00.000-08:00

ezswtrdet121
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

Here is the detail of the corner of the cuff of the Baby Surprise Sweater as of 1/21.

EZ Baby Surprise as of 1/21

2005-01-21T21:47:00.000-08:00

ezswtr121
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

Here is the knitalong sweater progress as of 1/21. I have reached the 3 rows of knitting with no decrease or increase. I have made 2 increase rows. I think I will continue with the color insertions. I have several other worsted weight yarns in my stash that will fit in nicely.

I am still having fun with this project. I have also picked up a sweater project for myself, in an adult size, using a ribbon yarn which has lived in my stash for 4 years.

My next project

2005-01-21T21:42:00.000-08:00

noroyarn
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

This is the yarn I mentioned to friends today. I plan to use it to make a baby sweater that calls for 2 st per inch. My knitting buddy and I think it will make up into a striking sweater for an infant.....

EZ Baby Surprise Jacket pattern in THIS book

2005-01-17T15:39:00.001-08:00

Elizabeth Zimmerman originally published this pattern in the Knitting Workshop book.

Local libraries often have her books... I would check there too.

Baby hat - Autumn Leaves - 2005

2005-01-17T12:31:00.001-08:00

Baby hat - Autumn Leaves - 2005
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

I love this hat... click to see more comments. In fact, click any photo to see more comments on that photo.....

Shawl in Rowan Summer Tweed - 2004

2005-01-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

Shawl in Rowan Summer Tweed - 2004
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

More cat curiosity - this project he actually, ahem, played with while it was underway... more than once.

Aran sweater for MY baby - 2000 or so

2005-01-17T12:30:00.000-08:00

Aran sweater for MY baby - 2000 or so
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

Two tone baby sweater. I admit, I started it for someone else's baby, but 1) ran out of appropriate yarn and it took too long to find a substitute so I made something else for her; and 2) the amount of work this sweater took... more than I was willing to give away at the time....

My Ultimate UFO - started in 2000

2005-01-17T12:25:00.001-08:00

My Ultimate UFO - started in 2000
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

UFO - Un-Finished Object... This one is on its way to permanently unfinished status....

Crocheted Hat - 1998

2005-01-17T12:25:00.000-08:00

Crocheted Hat - 1998
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

Simple hat, easy to make, quick work.

Detail of the cables...

2005-01-17T12:19:00.000-08:00

Detail of the cables...
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

What happens when Momma Cat is taking photos of knitted items on the floor......

My first baby - 1994

2005-01-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

My first baby - 1994
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

See what happens when you take 9 months to finish a sweater? You start talking about charging $2000 to sell it... no takers yet....

Overall photo of EZ Surprise Sweater at 1/16

2005-01-17T09:33:00.000-08:00

EZ baby jacket overall-4
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

Pretty cool, eh?

Detail of Surprise Sweater as of 1/16

2005-01-17T09:31:00.000-08:00

EZ baby jacket detail-4
Originally uploaded by lwright1999.

Here is the detail of the decreases for where the first short side meets the long side after about 8 decreases. I like my pinstriping so much, placed randomly, that I continued doing it more in the next inch. Stripes are done by starting knitting with the other color at the start of the right side row (see the marker marking the right side?), knitting the row with decreases, knitting a second row, then picking up the main color for the next row.

Got it?

Today's progess on Baby Surprise Jacket

2005-01-16T11:55:00.000-08:00

Well, two of my friends joining me in this knitalong have read the pattern and begun asking questions.

One question is when EZ says "sl1, k2tog, psso" how does this work and why? My answer is she wants us to decrease 2 stitches every time we do this - k2tog makes a decrease, sl1/psso makes a second decrease, so if you sl1, THEN k2tog, then PSSO you decrease 2 stitches, one is a left leaning decrease, the other is a right leaning decrease. Fun stuff.

The safety pins she recommends putting into the work at the decrease points (see first row directions) both mark the Front of the work, and remind you to do the decreases on that side at that point.

I started this yesterday, using Lion Brand Superwash, and US8 needles to get the 5 st per inch to make a sweater for a 1 year old. I am doing it in Dark Grey (no standard baby clothes colors for me) with stripes of lighter grey and purple. Straight knitting (garter stitch) is very quick for me so I have 2 inches done with 2 stripes (haphazardly placed).

I am figuring out how to post pictures... it is NOT straightforward from the Mac.

Starting Baby Surprise

2005-01-15T20:08:00.000-08:00

So, I decided to use yarn from my stash. Superwash, Worsted Weight, from Lion Brand. On US8 needles this gives me 5 st per inch. So I am making a sweater for a 1 year old.... good enough for me. I suspect I would be able to put this on MY baby (due 6/15 in Campbell, CA - no sweaters for the first 5 months of life) with the sleeves rolled up before the kidlet is a year old. Or I can send it to my cousin-in-law who lives in Maryland and is having a kid in June as well.

See? Such choices.

The pattern for this is available from http://www.schoolhousepress.com/ a company founded by Elizabeth Zimmerman, for $3.

Photos within a couple of days from now.....

Baby Surprise Jacket Knitalong

2005-01-13T11:50:00.000-08:00

For anyone joining me in the Baby Surprise Jacket knitalong, HERE YOU ARE!

I have not started it yet... just planning stages right now, but will have started after I finish tacking down petals on my falling leaves hat (pattern by Knitwits, no relation). Photo soon.