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New quilts

As it has been so ridiculously long since I've posted and who knows if and when I'll be posting again, I'm choosing to make no excuses ;)

I've been working on the machine quilting step of making quilts.  This is really easy to get better at pretty quickly - and it seems pretty forgiving if you just use a nice overall stippling.
The tops of both of these quilts fall into the category of "winging it."  I guess I'll work on my piecing after I get the hang of quilting.

Here are a couple of recent efforts:

First, a large lap quilt (almost twin-sized) that I made to see if I could actually make a quilt.

It has a few issues, but I really like it.  It's cozy and warm and feels homemade (but in a good way).






The second quilt is a small baby quilt for a friend.  This one uses some of the cutest bird fabrics I've ever seen.  You can't really go wrong with bluebirds, can you?



The top is just a slice of a log cabin, on a large scale.  There might be a better way to describe this, but I don't know what that would be.

The back (I think this is my favorite part:



Really, how cute and cheerful is this fabric?



Maybe some knitting next time.  I'm trying out a new browser (Flock) and it seems like it makes posting to blogger really easy.  Guess I'll find out when I try to post this.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Woolgirl is beyond awesome!

The latest sock club shipment from Woolgirl is so much fun. I can't wait to use this yarn and have time to play with all of the goodies! There is some sort of theme or inspiration for each club shipment - this time, as you might guess the theme is "Froggin is cool..." For knitters, you already know what froggin' is and I'll bet most of you hate is as much as I do. For those of you who may not be in the know, froggin' in the knitting/crochet world is ripping out your work - either because you made a mistake, or your gauge is wrong, or you just realized you didn't like the product you were creating. In about any context, though, it can be quite painful (emotionally, and at times, physically).


I'm not sure that I really would go so far as to use the term "cool," but certainly I have come to realize the necessity of having to frog my knitting pretty regularly. If I chill out about it and don't get angry (easier said than done), it is pretty much just backward knitting. The backward progress is the hardest part for me to deal with, though. So depressing. Thinking of frogging knitting in the context of a cute little amphibian does kinda' help, though. Let's see if I can remember this next time I am cursing/sobbing and annoyed at having to rip back 30 rows of 200 stitches in some lace pattern... okay, back to the cute froggy inspired yarn goodness.

The colors are actually pretty close here. This yarn is soft, smooshy, and bright - I love it! How cute will these socks be?


The yarn is Dach Sox in sportweight from Dashing Dachs in colorway Froggin. It is 373 yards and should make a really nice long pair of socks, I think! So cheerful. Every time I look at this yarn, I like it more than the last time - that is a good sign, I think!


She also included what I think is the cutest stitch marker I have ever seen! Jillian at Wee-Ones made these - and they are urp-cute, I swear! You don't get a feel for how small they are here, but they are tiny. The little frog is about 1/4 inch high!


I just can't get over how cute his little froggy butt is!


He looks like he's thinking really hard from the front (maybe he's contemplating having to rip out those 30 rows of lace...) and like he's not about to do anything at all from the back (maybe he's convinced himself that no one will notice that teensy little mistake). I love this! I think I love it so much I probably won't be able to use it as a stitch marker. It would be terrible to lose him in the couch or something.

The other really cool thing she included in this package is a great little bamboo knitting gauge from KaratStix. I totally forgot to take a good picture of it, but you can see it in the picture at the top (just look for the overexposed spot in the bottom right part of the picture). I have a feeling I will use this thing all the time! It looks like she sells them in 1" or 2" sizes in her Etsy shop.

All right, back to work!

Procrastination... and no big surprise

This is both the procrastination and the no surprise part ;)

-25 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Poor (Failure) Take the test!

On a more productive, but no less procrastinate-y, note...
Here is the lap quilt I finally finished up for a high school graduation present a couple of weeks ago.

The color is terrible. Of course I finished about 2 am and the light was awful. These colors are a little truer (but still way off):


and a simple strip-pieced back:


and because a girl can never have too many bags!


That's all for now.

This and that...

As a strong believer in immediate gratification and what I like to think of as efficiency (but might actually be described by some as impatience), projects that are quick to start and move along steadily and easy to finish are the most likely ones for me to actually convert to FOs. Oh yeah, turning out exactly as I had envisioned no matter what the pattern predicts is also a plus :)

With sewing, I find that this strategy often backfires. I've been trying to increase my level of patience when sewing so that some day I might be able to get to the point that I could make one of these (yeah, yeah, I know there are 225 different blocks and they require a TON of hand sewing and obviously a quilt of this nature must be quilted by hand... but still, maybe after I retire). More pictures from the adventurous souls beginning this journey can be found here.

Back to reality... In one of my moments requiring immediate gratification, I made this bag the other night. It is far from perfect, but there is something that I really like about it.



I spent a couple of hours tonight working on a baby quilt top (it will probably will become a Project Linus donation). I purposely chose something that wouldn't be likely to show a lack of accuracy in sewing my 1/4" seams. For the most part, it fit all my criteria for a fun project that is likely to get finished... quick and easy and looks pretty much like I had imagined it. It could have used a better ironing, however.



I suppose that in a perfect world, I would have used a solid color cotton instead of the green polka dot flannel strips. This seems minor and I was trying to use what I had on hand. All in all, I really like it so far. I'm thinking to get something in red for the binding and maybe something really soft (like Minke or something similar) for the backing. I must keep in mind that something stretchy like that could really cause a turn in my feelings about this little blanket when it comes time to actually quilt it.


And... because I can't pass up a 40% off sale on almost all of the quilting cotton at JoAnn's, a little fabric stash enhancement:

The 2nd from the top and 2nd from the bottom are not a part of today's foray, but I thought they looked pretty cute with the others. I'm thinking maybe something like this... we'll see, though. All right, off to bed now.

Woolgirl Sock Club!

The Woolgirl Sock Club is beyond wonderful. I'd hear rumors that Jen really outdoes herself, but still... Unfortunately, in my rush to start knitting, I didn't take any pictures of the first package and its contents (I won't make that mistake again). Take a look at this picture of the package for April here.

The pattern for these socks was really well written and quick and fun to knit up! The socks were done after just a few evenings of knitting.


With just a couple of exceptions, I followed the pattern without making changes.

Pattern:

Reina (sportweight version) by Lisa Dykstra

Yarn:

Mama Llama Perfect Sock

Needles:
32" Size 2 circular needles, 2 socks on one circular magic loop method

I did modify the toe quite a bit and I added a single crochet border to the cast-on edge of the top of the sock, For some reason, the tops of the socks just looked awful. I blame the speed at which I cast on for these...

In order to maintain the pattern down the toes of the socks, I made the following modifications to the toes:

For the sole of each sock, decrease as written in the pattern.

For the patterning on the top of the sock (over 28 stitches):

Row 1: p1, k2, p2, ssk, k6, p2, k6, k2tog, p2, k2, p1 (26 st)
Row 2: p1, k2, p2, k7, p2, k7, p2, k2, p1
Row 3: p1, k2, p2, ssk, k5, p2, k5, k2tog, p2, k2, p1 (24 st)
Row 4: p1, k2, p2, k14, p2, k2, p1
Row 5: p1, k2, p2, ssk, k10, k2tog, p2, k2, p1 (22 st)
Row 6: p1, k2, p2, k12, p2, k2, p1
Row 7: p1, k2, p2, ssk, k8, k2tog, p2, k2, p1 (20 st)
Row 8: p1, k2, p2, k10, p2, k2, p1
Row 9: p1, k2, p2, ssk, k6, k2tog, p2, k2, p1 (18 st)
Row 10: p1, k2, p2, k8, p2, k2, p1
Row 11: p1, wrap 2, p2, ssk, k4, k2tog, p2, wrap 2, p1 (16 st)
Row 12: p1, k2, p2, k6, p2, k2, p1
Row 13: p1, k2, p2, ssk, k2, k2tog, p2, k2, p1 (14 st)
Row 14: p1, k2, p2, k4, p2, k2, p1
Row 15: p1, k2, p2, ssk, k2tog, p2, k2, p1 (12 st)
Row 16: p1, k2, p2, k2, p2, k2, p1
Row 17: p1, k2, p2tog, k2, p2tog, k2, p1 (10 st)
Row 18: p1, k2, p1, k2, p1, k2, p1
Row 19: p1, ssk, p1, k2, p1, k2tog, p1 (8 st)
Row 20: knit 8
Row 21: graft toe using kitchener stitch

First 2008 FO!

I am not so much with the New Year's Resolutions - they seem to mean guilt and disappointment for me... but I am going to make a short term goal. Let's say, a 3 month goal (with the possibility of extension) to post pictures and descriptions of every crafty item I finish. In that spirit, here is the first:


Owl hat pattern from: http://www.ruthieknits.com/Site/Owl_Hat.html

Cast on: Friday, 4 Jan 08
Finished: Sunday, 6 Jan 08

My modifications are indicated in blue.

Yarn: 55-60 g Malabrigo Worsted Merino in natural Size 7 Knit Picks circular needle, appropriately sized to work in magic loop. Cast on 99 stitches, work in 2x1 rib for about 1 inch. Change to stockinette. Increase to 110 stitches in the next row. Work approximately 1.5 inches in stockinette.

Begin owl pattern:

Round 1: p3, k8
...
Round 18: p3, slip 2nd stitch on left needle over 1st stitch on left needle, increase 1 purl stitch, p4, increase 1 purl stitch, slip 2 stitches onto right needle, slip the first of these slipped stitches over the second, move the remaining stitch back to the left needle and purl it
Rows 19-26: Purl these 8 rows even.
Row 27: p9, p2tog
Row 28: purl all stitches
Row 29: p8, p2tog
Row 30: purl all stitches
Row 31: purl all stitches
Row 32: p7, p2tog
Row 33: purl all stitches
Row 34: purl all stitches
Row 35: p6, p2tog
Row 36: purl all stitches
Row 37: p5, p2tog
Row 38: purl all stitches
Row 39: purl all stitches
Row 40: p5, p2tog
Row 41: purl all stitches
Row 42: purl all stitches
Row 43: p4, p2tog
Row 44: purl all stitches
Row 45: purl all stitches
Row 46: purl all stitches
Row 47: p3, p2tog
Row 48: purl all stitches
Row 49: purl all stitches
Row 50: p2, p2tog
Row 51: purl all stitches
Row 52: p1, p2tog
Row 53: purl all stitches
Row 54: p2tog
Row 55: p2tog

Break yarn and bring it through the remaining 4 stitches.



Obviously, any number of types of decrease could be used for this pattern. I chose to do it this way to best fit my head.

Overall, this was a quick and really fun to knit project! Now... if the temperature would just drop down out of the upper 50's, I might get to wear it.

SAFF 2007

It seemed that SAFF was even better this year than last. So much pretty yarn and roving in such a variety of colors... hmmm... the only downside (if you think this is a negative - which I might) was the ubiquity of mohair. Mohair was everywhere and blended with every other fiber known to man. Some was unbelievably soft and some was pretty scratchy. I tried very hard to remember that I don't much like to spin or knit with mohair and I was most successful in avoiding these purchases.

We actually had time to go and check out some of the animals (look how cute)...



This guy is just having a great big laugh, I think...


I found a beautiful new spindle... 1.4 ounces (so quite a bit heavier than my current spindle). I've only used it a bit, but so far I really like it.


A silk hankie... have to wait until the winter dryness subsides, I'm afraid.

These are a Merino/Tencel blend that I am so looking forward to spinning:

And the softest yarn I've ever felt (I think) from Brooks Farms. This is Solana, a light worsted weight washable merino. I just can't describe the unbelievable softness and smooshiness and overall goodness of this yarn.

More to come soon...

Monkeys

Just a quick couple of pictures of the first (finished except for dealing with ends) Monkey sock! Oh... these are so fun! Pretty quick, too. They fit the foot really snugly, but don't feel tight, but they stay up... hmmm...

Back to work...

The upside of illness...

So... the general crappiness that has engulfed my body lingers... not venturing far from my bathroom... but...

More progress on the knitting/crochet front (and a much cleaner living space).

The Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl starts to take shape (Wednesday night, maybe)...


A little blocking problem here ... or... a little size problem with my blocking boards and teeny "dining" table. Either way, the damn thing just won't fit.

My plan it to not worry too much about blocking it really well. The yarn is pretty floppy and the shawl is very soft and floaty, so I don't even think that the block would "take."

I am happy with the finished product at this point:

A big soft and smooshy doily that you can wear, what could be finer?

Finally cast on for those Monkey Socks with some really nice new yarn. This is a quick moving and pretty intuitive pattern to knit. I think it may take a while to memorize it, but it is pretty clear when you make a mistake (at least so far).




Hopefully, tomorrow will be a cool day lacking excessive bathroom visits ;) Yeah, right.

An actual FO!

Finally, finally, finally finished the Knit Picks CotLin socks!!!


I used Wendy's Sportweight Toe-Up Sock with Gusset Heel pattern (one of my favorites - easy, perfect fit, and very simple to modify). I added a few stitches on each side of the instep about 2 cm before the heel began to accommodate this apparently larger-than-normal part of my foot. The top was finished off with a simple 2x2 ribbing (until I almost ran out of yarn on the first sock).

No idea why these took so long to finish. I was looking forward to the results and really liked the feel of the yarn. However, the yarn was pretty hard on the hands. Not a surprise, really, but it was extremely unforgiving (should have known from the cotton/linen blend) and made my wrists feel crappy. I like the finished socks very much and can't wait to have some non-wool hand knit socks! Unfortunately, it is definitely going to have to cool off a lot more to allow wearing of socks of any type.

After the concert Saturday evening, we stayed in Florence, Kentucky. (Follow the link to see the "real story" of the Florence, Y'all water tower). On Sunday afternoon, we went to the Cincinnati Zoo. Such a pleasant surprise! The insect house was great and they had a bunch of mini aviaries so that you could get up and personal with lots of really cute and cooperative birds! Here are just a few:

Turning over a new leaf....

Or... not...

So, I came home last night with the best of intentions and a great idea for how to spend my Friday nights. It always seems like I should be working that night but when I do, I am never productive (I am just very, very bitter about having to work when everyone else is playing). The general idea is this: I will only work to finish UFOs on Friday evenings. This way, I still get to do something I really want to do (knit or crochet or spin), but I will still make progress on something that I might not have made any on. (Hard to make progress on anything when you are having a pout-in at the office.)

However... I got some super soft and wonderful new yarn yesterday:

And... I just could not stay away from it.

The very, very strange thing about this yarn? I purchased it with a project in mind! I finally got this book. I love this book, but more about that later. For now, the project I had in mind is the Chrysanthemum Tea Shawl. Basically, you just crochet an enormous doily on a large hook and.... ta da... you have a pretty, round shawl.

As it turns out, this was SO much fun to work on that (while my intention was to start and then work on a pair of unfinished socks), I kept working on it until the wee hours of the morning (something like 3:30 am).


I do hope that this yarn will block out some of my messiness. If not, I can't imagine I'll care because it is SO soft and smooshy and nice.

All right, off to the concert!

Frogging, cursing, frogging, and more frogging (and finally some progress)

Okay, so I may be giving my crochet ability too much credit. I absolutely fell in love with a sweater I saw this summer and decided I absolutely must make it. Of course, I completely ignored the fact that I am a very new to crochet. Well, after a few frogging sessions (okay, maybe not just a few), I finally have made some progress on the first sleeve and the body of the sweater.

Now that I have done a few repeats of the pattern, it is really quite fun! I love how easy it is to tear back if you make a mistake - a common occurrence still, I'm afraid. Tearing out my knitting literally brings me to tears (and dangerous acts of tossing stuff around the room). Ripping back crochet is still frustrating, but much easier - the lack of hundreds of slippery, live stitches really takes so much of the pain away!

The sweater is "Patti" from Melissa Leapman's book Cool Crochet. While the rest of the book is not exactly my style, this sweater is absolutely perfect. I like it SO much that I think I could rip the whole thing out and start over if need be to make it fit (a first for me). I have looked everywhere for a picture of the finished sweater and cannot find a single one. The pattern isn't even in anyone's project list or queue on Ravelry. As far as I can see, this is a very rare thing. Just about every pattern I've searched for seems to be indexed there. Let me just say, you all are seriously missing out :)

The other great discovery I've made on this project is Addi crochet hooks! I can't believe how very much easier this inexpensive little upgrade makes the entire process. Just like the other Addi products I have tried, these hooks are comfortable in your hand, sturdily built, and the metal is oh-so-smooth. Every other hook I've used (not that this is a long list, mind) has been a little snaggy - not so here! The way the hook curves down the neck really grabs hold of the yarn and keeps a firm grasp on it while you are negotiating your way through the stitches (even if you aren't doing this gracefully). I often have problems keeping the yarn around the hook when I dip into the stitch to begin another stitch - but no longer! I don't think I've had more than two stitches fall off.

After much thought about the utility of a heavy wool pullover in the south (I really never even wear a jacket in the winter here - maybe a sweatshirt), I do think I may make some changes. Yeah, yeah, yeah... here I go... I know. The sweater as it is designed is a mock turtleneck with the aran panel (shown in the pictures) up the front, back, and sleeves. What I'm thinking is to make the sweater into a cardigan with a round (maybe) neck. Possibly, I will just modify the aran pattern to a smaller version to run up the right and left side of the front. I haven't yet worked out all of the details, but this would be so much more useful. Maybe the weeks of 90+ degree days have finally made me realize that I may NEVER stop sweating. The thought of cloaking my body in wool actually makes me feel like I might vomit. By the time I get finished with this sweater, it should be much cooler out. Let's just hope it won't be hot again.