Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Resolution

I hereby resolve to attach tags and labels to yarn in my stash in such a way that they do not come off by accident.

I was unhappy to discover that the yarn I am using to knit a stuffed toy is not what I thought it was. It turned out to be Malabrigo sock yarn. The tag was in the bottom of the storage bin.

Sigh.

SIS

The stack of not-yet-used knitting books has been growing around here. In an attempt to justify buying them, I've created SIS. SIS is the Self-Inflicted Sock club. I was inspired by the Yarn Harlot, who creates socks monthly from patterns she's been meaning to use. I've stacked up a dozen books to use. I've gone through my Ravelry stash and pulled out a dozen skeins of the oldest sock yarn.

I did something like this previously. This year was meant to have four projects, one for each season. Three went fine, but the last one had a pattern that just did not work. I tossed it, dumped the yarn back in my stash, and decided to move forward.

October's project will be based on patterns in the book Selbuvotter. I saw something similar on a project page in Ravelry and have wanted to try it.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Finished Object Friday 9/24


chullo3
Originally uploaded by Paula knits
I finished my Andean Chullo this week. It came out a little bit big, but I was really happy with it otherwise. The kit had enough yarn to make at least one more hat. I will do that after I complete a bunch of other things. I've been better at starting things than finishing them lately.

Two of the four LYS around here have moved in the last couple of weeks. I visited The Whole Nine Yarns at their new location today. Parking was obnoxious at the old location, but it's just fine at the new one. The shop itself is light and spacious. I found all of the things I needed plus a couple things more. It's moved up to #2 in my favorite locals (#1 if I'm looking for Cascade 220).

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Have a knitting-meme

Link spotted on Twitter. There's not much I haven't tried, apparently

Bold for stuff you’ve done, italics for stuff you plan to do one day, and normal for stuff you’re not planning on doing.

Afghan
I-cord
Garter stitch

Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up

Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with bamboo yarn

Two end knitting
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffitti knitting: knitting items on, or to be left on the street – possibly ninja knitting. Or pirate knitting.
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments
Cable stitch patterns
Lace patterns

Publishing a knitting book
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit
Knitting to make money
Button holes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting

Norwegian knitting
Household items: dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…
knitting socks- or other small tubular items- on two circulars
Dying with plant colours

Knitting items for a wedding
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
?
Teaching a male how to knit
Bobbles
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks
Knitting art
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener BO
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching

Long Tail CO
Entrelac Knitting and purling backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn
Stuffed toys
Knitting with cashmere
Darning

JewelryKnitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia

Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/armwarmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug

Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho

Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Friday, September 17, 2010

Finished Object Friday 9/17/10

We have Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from the Knit Picks anklets set. We have Falling Leaves socks. We have the Queen of Cups which are a secret gift for someone.

My latest plans are to finish the anklet set (Saturday and Sunday) then get into something less boring than footwear. I'm designing a Day of the Dead project bag based on Erssie Major's La Calaverita Charts. My other two projects are Doctor Who-related. One is purple. The other is striped. Stay tuned for more information.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Dad's Last Socks

My mother used to knit socks. I was fascinated by the dpns and the little bobbins of yarn dangling down. She mostly made argyle socks for her father. When he passed away 30 years ago, the last socks he wore were a pair that Mom knit.

My father passed away last week. He didn't have much of anything appropriate to wear as his last clothing. My brother was looking through his dresser drawers and pulled out a pair of socks I'd knit him for Father's Day. He said that they would be one thing that would be worn. The strange thing was, he didn't know about Grandpa wearing the socks that Mom had knit. The shades of brown in the stripey socks gave my brother a color palatte for the other clothing he got. They didn't show, but it was oddly nice to have given him one last handmade gift.

Rest in peace, Dad.