tumbling blocks - knitting

a toe

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:42:00 -0700

One green sock done! I try it on and then I take it right off because it is HOT. Here it is, going on the end of June, and I don't quite have the summer things I am making for myself done yet. I would like to see them finished by end of July. That way, the month of August can be spent gloriously wearing them.

So maybe, sock #2 waits?

summer is for sock knitting

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:19:00 -0700

I still mostly am a person who knits in the winter and sews in the summer, but it has been hard to put down my newest project. After much messing around with starting sweaters that I really didn't feel like knitting, I cast on for another sock. I'm knitting from the same book as my evening knee socks. Nancy Bush, I love you! You have such a great understanding of knit socks. These are a Child's First Sock, but they are not really, they are for me. I feel like when these socks are done, they will deserve sock blockers.

evening stockings

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:30:00 -0700

I kind of don't even know what to say about these socks. I love them. They are tall, lacy socks that would be (will be) really great for October. They were started in March and finished this weekend. Sock number too took a long time because it got warm and knitting was suddenly much less exciting. That said, knitting is much more exciting as of Saturday when I needed to start a new project (because really, nothing but knitting will do for the commute). It is so easy to spend forever on Ravelry because they really have all the options. If you're like me and like to consider all the options before you do something, this can be hard. I have started three projects in the last three days, and I'm not sure that I'm keeping any of them. I want to make the absolute best match of project to yarn while maintaining budget and reducing stash. This is ridiculous. How do you pick projects? What do you do when you regret it?

Another question: How important is blocking my socks? I didn't block these because I don't have sock blockers and even if I did, they would be too short. Am I missing out?

Facts:
Evening Stockings for a Young Lady
Knitting Vintage Socks
Nancy Bush
Arucania Ranco

one down, and one sock packed tomorrow, then I'm outta here

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:02:00 -0700

Sock! But not just any sock--a Young Lady's Stocking for Evening Wear. It's the first in the pair, and I plan on casting on for the second while I'm on a plane to San Francisco. Whoo-hoo!

field trip! fiber fair

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 17:43:00 -0700

On Saturday Eva and I hopped in the car and headed east to Greencastle, Indiana for the "Fiber Event". It made the wool lover in me quite happy, if a little confused about which way to go next. There were just gobs and gobs of fiber-related stuff. The offerings ran the gamut from unprocessed fleece to fancy hand-painted yarns. There were even bunches of bunnies and two cute alpacas!

So, what did I buy? The yarns were pretty, but there was nothing so unique and wonderful that I felt I had to have it. The angora rabbits were 100% adorable, and I very nearly did come home with one of those, but I luckily regained my composure when I realized that building a hutch was on neither on Elie's agenda nor mine. I knew I didn't need a whole raw fleece—that is for a day when I wish to the wools some more serious commitment. But, I did want something, and I was really hoping to get my hands on some Blue-Faced Leicester wool. I'd heard so much about it and wanted to feel and work with it myself. And, that's what I came home with: some beautifully dyed BFL + seacell roving and also a drop spindle. Drop spindle! Why the heck not?

I tried out the drop spindle on some not-fancy wool this afternoon. It was fun, but I am definitely not good at it yet. The spindle makes me feel very official. Like, "don't mess with me, because I think spinning wool on a stick is awesome!"

socks stalking

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:42:00 -0700

Knitting again, even though we are officially past the wool knee socks part of the year. Socks though, they are so small and portable. One could even knit them in the middle of July, when no one in her right mind wants to be covered in wool.

Did you know that Payless sells tap shoes in adult sizes? I think I need some. When I was ten, I was all about tap dancing, and my friend tells me it is one of the most calorie burning activities out there. These are good reasons to rekindle an old flame. Man, I liked tap dancing so much that I would practice while sitting at my desk at school. I don't know how I never got in trouble for it, because it was the complete time step. PS, I can still do wings.

paper dolls sweater

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 14:33:00 -0700

It worked! The paper dolls sweater is finished, and it looks and wears just as expected. I am so happy I own it, let alone that I knit it. It took me almost two months exactly to knit, plus blocking and drying, which always takes forever. (I don't know about you, but I think sweater drying is a lot like water boiling in kettle—it happens much faster if you don't try to pay attention.)

Technical details: This is Kate Davies' Paper Dolls pattern. I knit a size 32 using Rowan felted tweed. It is my smallest gauge garment yet (I knit loose, so I used 2s to get gauge), and I how light, yet warm, the thinner fabric feels. It is quite cozy, although Eva complains that it's itchy if you're trying to give hugs.

gauge fest 2010

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:28:00 -0700

Mainly, I am working on the Paper Dolls sweater. It's incredibly cute, but there is a lot of small gauge stockinette before you get to the colorwork part. I am making good process, but I felt the need to stop and do something different, so I gauged. The yarns are, from biggest to smallest, Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky, Second Time Cotton, and "vintage" Spinnarin Cashmere Plus. I would really like to make a cardigan out of the Cashmere Plus (from a garage sale), but I think it's just a bit too fine. Maybe I'll hold it double, or maybe I won't have enough yarn to do that. I'm thinking of Audrey in Unst or Peyton, both from Twist Collective Fall 2009. But, the stuff is so soft and lightweight—maybe it wants to be something lacy?

happy striped knee socks

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:59:00 -0700

Love! I am completely in love with my new striped knee socks. They validate my burgeoning relationship with knitting socks in general. I almost feel like I don't know why I'd ever knit anything besides knee socks. (Almost. I've just cast on for a sweater.) Ah, knee socks—you keep my boot from rubbing my calf. You provide a comfortable double layer for the part of my body that is below the hem of my coat without the double waistband of long johns.

The thing about most socks patterns is that the socks are not very tall. They usually come only a bit above the ankle. I want them taller. Is this possible, o seasoned sock knitters? Where do I put calf increases in a lace sock?

My knee socks came from this recipe at Streets and YOs and Noro Kureyon yarn. Also, I loved the Turkish cast on for the toe—so tidy. Here's a really good Turkish cast on tutorial.

the cartographer

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:40:00 -0700

I'm almost certain that when Andrew Bird wrote "I was the cartographer of the tangles in your hair," he was not thinking about mothers and their relationships with their daughters and the daily ritual of the hairdo. But, this is just where my mind goes every time. It's is such a beautiful, intimate line—to know someone so well that you know where each snarl is likely to crop up. It brings to mind morning sunlight and the process of tracing all the golden hairs from Eva's head and trying to get them to lay smooth and look brushed.

Of course, most mornings are not that beautiful. They are rushed—we are trying to get out the door to school and work. Most days Eva's hair is braided is one or two very long braids, and there is little time for experimentation. It is more likely to be a time where we feel cross with each other for all the pulling and yanking that those knots require. Seldom do I stand behind Eva with a comb and think that I am privileged to be able to groom this individual. But every so often, this song, Armchairs comes into my head and I take a breath and remember that it won't be much longer until she doesn't want or need me to do her hair, and I braid with a little more intention.

The hat is Eva's Christmas present from me. It was intended to be a beret, but it ended up being a hat. The hat covers her ears, which is important. I used Palette yarn left over from my tulip socks, and Sock Pixie's La Parisenne Beret pattern.

Also, Andrew Bird comes to town every year. Why have I never been?

brightest

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 19:50:00 -0700

Happy 2010 to you! I kicked off the new year with a soak in the clawfoot and a homemade bath bomb. Eva and I tried making the bombs for gifts this year and were mostly successful. I say mostly because our bombs were not so much round as they were slumpy patty-shaped, but the effect is the same. My new book, The Knitters Book of Wool also came to the tub with me. I love it. It is doing great things to fuel my obsession with someday far from now having sheep. Man, it's totally possible.

Anyway, if you see the hot pink sheep who made this wool, take a picture for me! This is Ysolda's Ishbel shawl, done up in pink for my mom. I loved, loved making this, so much so that I think there might need to be another one made for me (but in blue-gray, of course). I still can't stand the word "shawl", even though I love the object the word describes. It makes me think of Sunday school outfits from the early eighties. Oddly, I like "Shawlette" much better.

bunny wool hourglass sweater

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:11:00 -0700

We had our first single-digit morning last week, and with it came a re-introduction to all my warmest, wooliest things. For going outdoors, I had my wool beret and cashmere cowl, and for wearing all day I had my good charcoal wool pants, knee socks and a just finished-up sweater that I started last year. I finally had woven-in all the ends and Kitchenered-up the armpits of my hourglass sweater. Oh, it is so warm, and it fits pretty well too. The Debbie Bliss luxury tweed is a soft and snuggy angora-wool mix that knits up quite nubbly, which i find very pleasing on the plain silhouette of the hourglass sweater. If I had it all to do again, I might shape the top a little differently, not increasing as much after the waist and knitting and inch or two more at the neck. I am happy with it though—having such good warm things to wear makes the cold something to look forward to. I know that sounds made-up and cheesy, but it's true.

I seem to be spending more time with yarn and less time with fabric these days. If you want to find me on ravelry, I'm tumblingblocks there too!

Gotta go—the latkes are almost done!

tulip socks - done!

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:14:00 -0700

No, they were not done by the end of Socktober, but they were done a couple weeks ago. Drat that there have been very many rainy days and today was the first day in a long time that camera, socks, and sunshine could all be together in one place.

These are the purlbee tulip socks done in Knit Picks Palette. I tried to match the original colors as best as I could: I went with Knit Picks' Sweet Potato, Blossom, Edamame, Green Tea Heather, Rose Hips, and Rouge. Overall I am happy with them. I think it's odd, but the gauge on the two socks is different—I was very tight on the first one. Both were too big and had puffy cankles where there should have been slender ankles. This was, again, a gauge problem and had nothing to do with the pattern. I added a wonky decrease to fix the puffyness. Knitting with colors was fun—it's as close to quilting as knitting gets!

little things in progress

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:12:00 -0700

I haven't been doing any one thing, but I've been doing lots of little things. Knitting has me in its clutches, as it often does once fall rolls around, and I've been clickety-clacking my needles away on my socktober socks and a couple other projects. I have a whole entire sweater completed—one I started last year—but until it gets just a hair colder, I don't really feel like blocking it. I think my socktober colorwork socks will prove addictive and there will be lots more fair isle in my future. Who knows, maybe I'll even need to buy one of those special things you can wear on your finger to help you manage two strands.

I've also made some modest accompaniments for a Halloween cosmtume, including a scrunchie, and am trying, really trying to catch up with my one quilt work. More on those soon...

sick knits

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:32:00 -0700

The Beebs was home sick today (feeling much better now), so we spent a good amount of time sitting on the couch knitting. She's knitting too. She temporarily rediscovered the fun of knitting and her scarf project from last year. It's fun to knit with her and to hear her say things like, "Mom! I can even do it if I close my eyes and don't look at it--for a few stitches." Yup, me too, just for a few stitches, otherwise we get all kinds of hell.

Lunch was sick-at-home chicken soup, which means pasta boiled in broth from a tetra pack plus carrots and dried thyme. It's somewhere between for-real chicken soup and ramen, and generally, it's about what I'm good for.

I am nearly, nearly done with sock number one. I had to unravel it to the colorwork at some point in the gusset because I had to admit it had canckles. I added some wonky decreases, but it fits now.