Bees! Bees! Bees!

Two posts in one day, wow!

Upon finishing Memere's Multnomah, I decided to cast on for Shipwreck. I took out my swift and ball winder, and turned one of the skeins of Skinny Bugga! into a perfect little yarn cake. These guys wind their skeins nicely: this one didn't give me any trouble at all with tangles or knots or breaks or anything.

I started out trying to cast on as instructed in the link provided in the pattern, but many attempts confused the FUCK out of me, so I decided to try a regular knitted cast-on. Well, that left a big and un-fixable hole right in the middle. So, I started digging around. Hey, I'm a researcher. It's what I do. Anyway, in one forum on Ravelry, I found a few links to similar cast-ons. Eventually, I got the hang of one of them, and started knitting. Then, I realized I'd not been paying attention, and had blithely skipped a number of rows. Oops. I frogged (it was only about 10 rows), and cast on again. This time, I've gotten up to row 29, where I'm about to start the second lace pattern. It being after 11 p.m., I've decided to save that for later. I know my limits.

I admit I'm mostly a product knitter. I see stuff and think, "Ooh, that's pretty. I want that." But it's also nice to have some variety in a pattern, and to learn new skills while knitting a new pattern. This one has already taught me that very nice cast-on for circular shawls. I'm really pleased with how it turns out. The process of doing it is a bit of a pain in the arse, requiring some serious twisting around of the hands, but it works.


The yarn is just beautiful to work with, and I can't wait until I have it on my nice Harmony Options needles. So far, at 144 stitches, I'm still on DPNs. It's looking nice, though. I'd LIKE to knit more tonight, but it probably wouldn't be a good idea. I'll pick it up again tomorrow--maybe even while I'm at the Knitting Kumquat's birthday party (a.k.a. Comfy Cozy Kumquat Day). I'll at least have to show her the yarn and the pattern, because I KNOW she's a Sanguine Gryphon fan, same as I am. It's sad that they had to split into two companies just as I was getting to know them, but I'll get to know the two new companies, too. :)

Finished Memere's shawl

I finished the large-size Multnomah I made for my Memere today. After binding off last night, I steam-blocked/killed it today. Turned out nicely. I didn't melt it, and it did keep its shape. Yay! I hope she likes it. The three balls of Wool-Ease were plenty for ten repeats of the F&F pattern, though I was pretty sure it wouldn't be enough for eleven AND a bind-off. I quit while I was ahead, and trusted that blocking would help. It did. Man, I'm so glad I blocked it. The difference is night and day! I'm going to throw it in the washer and dryer to soften it up and fluff it a bit, as well as to give it a nice scent from the fabric softener (because it smells of wet sheep now). I'm going to wait until Christmas to get pictures, on Memere. Oh, except...I won't BE at Christmas this year, with my family. I should ask Papa to take a few. His will be better than mine would be anyway. Maybe I can convince my sister to buy a shawl pin to go with it. Romi's cat-shaped one might be a good choice--the non-sterling ones are only about $30 each.

Bees and beads!

I just bought some beads for a Shipwreck Shawl! I ended up getting them from Fire Mountain Gems, which sells 8/0 round seed beads in 40-gram bags. I bought five of them. That should be enough, even given that the brand I bought seems to have fewer beads per gram than other Japanese 8/0s. I got transparent glass beads with silver lining, in light gold, medium gold, and root beer (a medium brown). I think they'll be great with the Honeybee yarn!

Chances are I'm going to start Shipwreck over Thanksgiving. I think it's likely I'll finish Mémère's Multnomah before then. I'm on repeat #9 of the F&F pattern, I believe. I hope it'll be big enough! I wonder, if I DID block it, how much would it stretch?

Moving on...

I finished my hat on Thursday night, just in time for some cool and windy weather. It's good and warm, and looks pretty cute! Tonight, I picked up the large-size Multnomah I'm making for my Memere again. I had been a bit irked by the fact that I had somehow messed up a few rows back, but I tinked back and re-knit those rows with no problems or confusion. Awesome. It's good to make progress. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, but I think I'll bring my knitting to work with me anyway. I would like to get this done. The hat was a nice break, I admit, but I'm looking forward to something a bit more delicate. Question is, do I start talking to my mom about doing a shawl for her? Maybe get it done for her birthday? Or do I start something for me? Maybe both. Maybe having two projects on the needles at once isn't such a bad thing. You know, like having two boyfriends at once. :)

I think my mother wants a rectangular stole. She'll probably want a biggish one so that there's plenty of wrap room. My Seascape would be too small for her. I'll poke around and see what I can see.

Oh, and by the way, here's the hat!

Hat trick!

OK, so there's no trick. But I've started a hat. I chose the South End Knitter's Hat pattern. It's a nice cabled-and-ribbed one, and it's knit long and with the cables on the inside. That way, you can fold up the bottom so that there's an extra layer of warmth. Nice! I'm using stashed Lamb's Pride, left over from the still-unzippered Samus cardi I made lo, these many years ago. I was going to use the Nuna (that's the merino/silk/bamboo blend) I had, but when I realized that 1) it was sport weight, not worsted, and 2) it didn't actually include alpaca as I thought it did, I decided it wouldn't be quite warm enough if a wind happened to blow. Also, the red is a color I'm more likely to want to wear frequently. I'll find something to do with that pretty Nuna, though. Maybe a lace scarf?

I started the hat on Friday night. I'm making good progress on it. With luck, it'll be finished before the end of the week. I'll post pics when I have 'em!

Frustrations, daring, and warm ears

Yesterday, I realized I might have messed up in adding a repeat of the F&F pattern on my Mémère's shawl a few rows back. It's frustrating! I need to figure out what I did, but I may well have to tink back 5 rows. And these rows are getting big. *grumble*

So, I really need a new knitted hat. The Fur Hat Of Doom will have its day again, oh yes, but it's not quite cold enough yet for that. I l do love my Corona (MALABRIIIIIIGO!), but it's really too big, and it's starting to get slightly ratty. I keep saying, "Maybe I'll try felting it just to see what happens," but I haven't yet dared. Maybe when I actually have a new hat to wear, I might work up the courage! I'm pretty sure I'm going to use this pattern. The large section that gets doubled over means a double layer of warmth, and I like the cables. I may end up using that skein of navy blue yarn I've been keeping forever--the one that's merino, and...alpaca and silk? Alpaca and bamboo? Something like that. Cozy and soft, anyway. I'm fairly sure that one skein will be enough. If it's not quite, I might add another color near the crown. I might want to take a brief break from the shawl to get started on this hat, or I won't have it while the weather is right to wear it. I have until Christmas to finish the shawl, anyway.

My cousin's wife sent me a thank-you card today for the sweater I knit her baby-to-be. She was really happy to get something handmade. I think the design of that little cardi is good for babies--it's just one button, so it's easy to get on and off.

Man, I'd rather be knitting right now than working...

Laceweight? Fingering? Did I say that?

It looks like I've got yet another worsted project on the needles! On the plus side, it doesn't involve DPNs, and it's not in a cotton yarn. I do love the slip of that organic cotton, and the soft hand it has (oooh, SO soft), but it doesn't have much stretch. Right now, I'm working in...Wool-Ease. Yes. And it's not for a baby.

I decided I should knit a shawl for my Memere for Christmas. I didn't want her to have to worry about special washing or drying or re-blocking instructions. This is MEMERE, after all. She's the sweetest person alive, but...yeah. Bless her heart. Also, she doesn't really have room in her tiny apartment for laying a shawl flat to dry. I figured a washable, dryable yarn would be best. I need it to go fast, because, well, I have less than 2.5 months to do this. I do want it to be a full-size shawl, though. I decided to do something in worsted weight. After a great amount of dithering and posting on Ravelry, I saw that there were a number of people who'd done Multnomah in worsted, following the pattern as written, and ended up with a full-size shawl. This, after someone cleverly reminded me that Feather & Fan looks very nice in a thicker yarn and doesn't really need blocking to look good. Oho, I said. I got the yarn after work today at Windsor Button. I picked out a sort of dusty rose color that looks to be right up Memere's alley. I cast on while watching X-Files on DVD, and am now on my way. I know it will go fast because I've done it before, and it took me no time at all. Really, like two weeks. Less. Since I'm using the same number of stitches, rows, and repeats, it shouldn't take me too long. It will help that it's something I can do pretty easily while watching TV or chatting with people. Also, tomorrow I'm going to stay overnight with friends. I'll have plenty of time to hang out and knit the next day before our class starts in the afternoon. YAY. I'm going to recommend to my sister that she get Memere a shawl pin for Christmas. Dunno what I'm going to do for Pepere. He doesn't wear scarves, and I'm not sure there's anything else I could knit him in time for Christmas that he'd actually wear or use. Guess I'll have to ask Papa for some ideas that don't involve yarn.

Man, I wish I were going to Rhinebeck or Stitches East this year...

Oh, the sacrifices we make for family

When last we saw our heroine, she was purchasing yarn to make a sweater for the first member of the next generation of the family. Yeah, my cousin and his wife are having a baby. I've been working on the sweater on and off--I got especially distracted by my man coming home from Afghanistan--but right now I'm ready to bind off and weave in the ends. Then I'll sew on a button, crochet a loop to fasten it, and give it a gentle wash in the sink. The shower's on the 22nd. Should be good by then! Oddly, I ran out of the main color of my yarn before I could do the button band and collar. That didn't happen last time. I am substituting one of the contrasting colors (periwinkle blue). Looks fine. I will actually be able to return one of the skeins of yarn I bought for the project: the cream-colored yarn I had from my old skein was sufficient for the project, so I didn't need to wind the new one!

When this is done...hmm...start my Shipwreck? Talk to Mom about doing her a shawl for Christmas? (Might be late...) Finish those goddamn socks that have been sitting in the drawer for literal YEARS? (Probably not.) Whatever, working with thick worsted weight yarn seems downright WEIRD to me right now, and I'm eager for some sock-weight-or-lighter lace again. :)

OH! The sacrifice. Yeah. The shower, as I said, is on the 22nd. That is the weekend of Stitches East. I'd assumed my friend the Knitting Kumquat wouldn't want to go, having just given birth a month ago to Baby MC^2. I figured, "Oh well, I'll miss it, but it's not like I'd have been able to go without her anyway, since she's my ride there." Last night, she e-mailed me to say, "Do you want to go?" ARGH. Oh well. Maybe we can make a road trip to WEBS sometime.

Where the sea meets the shore

Last night, I blocked my Seascape Stole! I'm so happy. I think it's going to end up being just lovely. I hope to have some photos soon. I'd REALLY love to get some outdoor shots, particularly in a beachside setting, but I doubt that's going to happen since it would require coordinating with someone else, and probably on short notice.

I did the seventh repeat of Chart B, which I'm pretty sure was a good idea. Six would have made for a quite short stole. I wet blocked the thing, and used wires along each edge. Wow, rectangles are SIMPLE. :) I actually finished the knitting late last week (Friday night, I think), but haven't had the time or the wherewithal to block it until now.

The funny thing is, I figured this was going to be my go-to wrap for wearing on nice occasions with nice dresses. Now, before I even unpin it, it has competition. My boyfriend got me a beautiful pashmina for our eighth anniversary! It's deep red, olive, and warm beige--a gorgeous combination of colors that look fantastic on me. It's made of pure cashmere (in Kashmir!) and is soft and cozy. Hey, now I have options! :)

Now, I'm going to Windsor Button this evening after work to get some organic cotton yarn for a sweater for my cousin's baby. I've decided to do the same Super Natural Stripes sweater that I did for my coworker's baby a few years back. I still have some pretty periwinkle blue organic cotton yarn left over from the stole I made my boyfriend's mother, so I think I'll use that for one of the contrasting colors. (Actually, I have leftovers of the cream and beige I used in the first sweater too, but I don't know if I have enough). Working with that yarn and the size 7 needles is going to be WEIRD after the KSH and size 4s. But it'll be a good project to have on hand for my vacation--less delicate, easier to work on while chatting with people, etc. than my usual lacy stuff.

I need a new knitting bag. I'm sorely tempted by the gorgeous ones from Jordana Paige, though they are PRICEY. *sigh* But I will have to do SOMETHING about that soon, because the old Boogie Bag one I got at Woolcott...seven years ago? is falling apart. I'll worry about that later, though--the one I have now will be fine for my vacation.

Getting there!

I know, I know, I am a bad blogger. I'm hardly saying anything these days. But really, how many times do you have to hear, "I'm about halfway through repeat #X of chart B of my Seascape Stole?" Anyway, I figure it's OK to say that I am now on the final row of the final repeat of chart B of my Seascape Stole! Huzzah! When Chart C is done, Numfar will do the dance of joy. :) Then it's blocking time. Hmm. By the time I finish, my boyfriend might be home from Afghanistan. Which means that the bed in Spare Oom might need some cleaning off so I can use it for blocking again. Maybe I can finish before he gets here, though, provided I don't dawdle or set it aside.

Hmm. I hope this FITS on the bed in Spare Oom. :(

Man, I really need to start planning a baby sweater for cousin-child. I think the kid is due sometime in...January? But it'll be nice to get it out of the way and be able to pick up some more LACE. My mom is now thinking she'd like a lace shawl. Heh. I will have to go over some ideas with her. I think that I'll make it a fingering weight so it goes faster.

And then, of course, there's always...Shipwreck. *swoon*