Flower City Knits

Yeesh I was a crab in my last post. Remind me not to post on Saturday mornings before finishing my first cup of coffee! I should always delay at least until the afternoon.

Anywhoo, I realized last week that the reason I’m a little discouraged knitting-wise right now is because I’ve once again let my WIPs build up. I don’t mind having a lot of things on the needles at once; I’m most certainly not a project knitter. I believe that this is my hobby, so I’ll knit what I want to, you know? But I still start feeling overwhelmed when I have too much going. And what better way to fight off the winter blues than with a little FO high, right? So with that in mind I’ve set out to make some progress on the two worst offenders in my WIP pile.

Broad Street Mittens

Every time my husband sees me knitting something new, he says, “How are my gloves coming along honey?” Yeah. it’s a good thing I don’t find that annoying. At all. So yesterday, I sat down and knit the whole hand and most of the fingers on the second glove. This one really needs to be knocked off the list, since according to my records I cast on for this in January 2007. Yeah, you heard me right: 2007. Yikes.

Circular Shrug

The problem here is that I really don’t enjoy the yarn (Caron Simply Soft - I was stashbusting) and the mock rib is reeeeeeeeelly boring. But I really want this one for my wardrobe. (Note: I won’t be picking out projects solely on this merit again.) I finished off the mock ribbing last night, so now I just have the five inches of 2X2 to finish, and then seaming. And while it’s boring, it was certainly nice to work on something I didn’t really have to pay attention to while watching Lost Thursday night.

Once these two are off the list, I’ll be able to turn back to my 28Thirty again. I’m just about done with the body, but I think I may knit the sleeves first and then see how long I can get the body with the amount of yarn I have. Here’s a little peak:

And here’s a peak at the “travel” knits I’ve got going:

Another Le Slouch in Rowan Kid Classic, Smoke and Quant in Reynolds Andean Alpaca Regal. These are for my sister and a co-worker, respectively.

And finally, Punxsutawney Phil is a jerk. But Happy Groundhog’s Day anyway!

I can’t quite put my finger on why I’m so driven to finish certain projects, and why I come to detest others. It’s usually some kind of roadblock that leads me to set aside a project—the need to seam or pick up stitches, or some kind or error that causes me to have to rip back. But other times, for no apparent reason I just no longer enjoy knitting something. This is why I have a growing number of projects in various states of completion. It’s fine most of the time; I figure it’s my pastime, if I don’t feel like working on something I’m not going to. But I can’t do that when I’m gift knitting. Which is probably why I’m much more likely to finish and not rip out something I’m making for someone else than a project I’m making for me. Case in point, the Swallowtail Shawl:

Pattern: Swallowtail by Evelyn Clark
Source: Interweave Knits, Fall 206
Materials: Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk (50% alpaca/ 50% silk) in Amethyst, 3 hanks; Size 6 24″ circs
Started: October 2007
Completed: December 22, 2007

This is such a beautiful shawl, I just didn’t really enjoy knitting it. But the yarn is gorgeous, as always; it is one of my favorites. And the recipient, my sister, was just blown away by it. I’ve always really enjoyed knitting Evelyn Clark shawls in the past, I couldn’t put down the Lace Leaf Shawl and the Flower Basket Shawl when I was working on them. Maybe I’m just off shawls for now. I really don’t know.

I didn’t modify the pattern at all, beyond the obvious yarn and needle size substitution. It turned out much larger than I anticipated. The pattern as written creates a rather small shawlette, and while I was knitting, mine did not seem to be coming out much longer. But I forgotten the stretch factor in silk—this baby grew by almost a quarter in size when I blocked it.

I’m working on a few other things right now, like the new 28Thirty pattern from Zephyr Style in Cascade 220, some Serpentine Mitts in Dream in Color Smooshy that appear to be coming out waaay to small, and a Quant for a co-worker in Reynolds Andean Alpaca Regal. Probably mostly due to lack of inspiration and a case of the winter blues, I’m also feeling the allure of some quick stash busters, like these lovely Noro fingerless mitts and this cute little baby cap in fingering weight sock yarn. However those unfinished projects in the bottom of my knitting basket are still calling me, so who knows, maybe I’ll have another finishing spree soon. Stranger things have happened…

Pattern: Le Slouch
Source: Knit & Tonic
Materials: Rowan Kid Classic (70% lambswool/26% mohair/4% nylon) in Victoria, 1 hank; Size 8 and 9 16″ circs, Size 8 DPNs
Started: December 24, 2007
Completed: December 25, 2007

Upon wearing it a few times, I became less and less enamored with my Gretel. I’ve now officially decided that it makes my head look like a mushroom cap. And what was I thinking making it in brown wool? I hardly ever wear brown. Since I made a Le Slouch for my Mom in Noro that turned out relatively well (haven’t blogged about it yet, you’ll see it in a later post) and I needed a stylish cap, I decided to crank one out for myself. I used Kid Classic, which I love so much I either want to knit a full body suit from it, or just bathe in it, whichever is easier. I also fell in love with the color, which is an almost-black plum color. I just love Rowan colorways. This hat is perfect in every way, I didn’t even need to block it, it’s the perfect size and slouchiness as is. As I finished it on Christmas Day, I consider this a present for me.

I do have a few more finished items to tell you about, namely the Swallowtail Shawl (from hell!!) and the aforementioned Noro Le Slouch, but they will come in a later post. I’m in a full swell of January blahs and feeling very lazy. Which is why it took me three weeks to tell you about the Le Slouch in the first place. Le Sigh.

To come…..

Holiday knitting round-up, and a tiny little project to ward off the January chill…..

Edith Piaf was a knitter. I just discovered this when I recently watched the wonderful movie that details her tumultuous and often tragic life, La Vie en Rose. The above quote was my favorite from the film. She and the man who would turn out to be the love of her life are discussing their interests outside of his and her work (boxing and singing, respectively). She tells him that she knits, and then says, “Tell me your size, I’ll knit you a sweater.” There are a number of other references to her knitting during the film as well, and I found it notable that it was enough of a part of who she was that it was woven into the plot of the movie. It was an every day, natural part of her life, much as it is for many of us. That they highlighted this made her, and by extension the film, all the more relatable to me. I highly recommend the movie, even if its subtitles don’t make it the most knitting-friendly film. Just tackle your most boring stretch of stockinette in the round and settle in.

Since her voice was known as the “soul of Paris,” I thought it only appropriate to use my mini-review as an introduction to the ever-so-chic Clapotis, which will (begrudgingly) be given to my sister as a Christmas present.

Pattern: Clapotis
Source: Knitty
Materials: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool (50% wool/50%silk) in Rust, 2.5 hanks; Size 8 24″ circs
Started: Late October 2007
Completed: December 6, 2007

I know that everyone and their mother has made this, but I firmly believe that everyone and their mother, sister, best friend and aunt should have one. It’s that nice. I need one. And while it’s a whole lot of stockinette to take on, the thrill of dropping stitches every 12 rows carries you through.

I omitted the last increase row in the hopes of making a wide scarf more than a stole. This didn’t work, it still blocked out to about 20 inches across and roughly 70 (!!) inches long. I also used a DK/sport weight yarn with size 8 needles, where the pattern calls for worsted weight and the same size needle. This made for a drapier fabric; I think this is a nice effect. This sucker is huge, so I think that for a person with a small frame, like myself or my sister (seriously, it looks like you put normal-sized people in the dryer to create my family) the larger worsted weight version would overwhelm. What’s nice about this is that it is large enought to be worn thrown over the shoulders as a stole but it’s thin enough to comfortably wear it wrapped at the neck as a scarf. 

Can you believe that I’ve already posted more this month than I had in the last three? What can I say, I thrive on a deadline, and I’m too lazy to post most of the time unless I have an exciting FO or feel like showing off my shame for the multitude of things I keep on the needles at any given time! That being said, the FO parade will continue up until the holiday. I’m currently blocking Mom’s Le Slouch, and even though it felt like death was creeping up on me every time I picked it up, I just cast off the Swallowtail shawl this morning. I’ll begin blocking as soon a I wrap up the post. So now I’m back to selfish knitting, or, I could finish the three unfinished projects languishing in my basket. The possibilities are endless!

Was all it took to turn this . . .

Into this…

ohmygoditssooooosooooft

Pattern: Cashmere Neckwarmer
Source: Yarn Abuse
Materials: Blue Sky Bulky Naturals (50% Alpaca, 50% Wool) , Polar Bear (1004), 1 hank; Size 13 straights
Started: December 15, 2007
Completed: December 15, 2007

While on a day trip to Buffalo yesterday I stopped by two yarn shops to get the supplies for my substitute Christmas present for Mom. I wanted the hat and scarflette to match, but not be too matchy-matchy. Although I hemmed and hawed about the yarn choice (Cascade Magnum, Takhi Baby, and Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grand were all choices), I eventually settled on this very bulky, and very soft alpaca blend. The yardage is on the skimpy side (only 45 yards) but it’s just so soft and fluffy that I couldn’t pass it up. I needed every last bit of those 45 yards - this only reached the pattern’s 25-inch length with some aggressive blocking. And I had only about an inch of yarn left.

The button was a bit of a surprise; I thought I was buying one of the regular $3.00 wooden buttons, but after I paid I realized I’d picked out the $7.50 version, which the store owner informed me was made out of “antler.” Ok. Well at least it’s pretty.

The pattern is fun to do and goes so fast - I got home from Buffalo at 3:00 and this was blocking by 7:00. I love that! Thanks Kim!

So now, I’m working on turning this…

Into this . . . I’m thinking it will take more than four hours. Oh well, can’t have instant gratification with every project! I have to pat myself on the back for restraining myself while in the yarn shop, as they had stocked Noro sock yarn!! While I found a lot of the colors to be garish, they did have one or two really beautiful neutral, natural colorways that I absolutely loved. Well, they had two, 149 and 150. But, since this (I can’t believe I got my hands on some Vesper!!) just came in the mail this week, I held back. All in good time…

Don’t be fooled by this innocuous looking shawl. I know it looks pretty and soft. But, like the Sirens, it lulls you into complacency with its easy bud lace pattern only to smash you into pieces with its evil little nupps.

So maybe it’s not that bad, but I’ve got to tell you, I’ve had enough of the shawl knitting. I have to get this done this week, if only to maintain my already weak grip on sanity. No…more…lace….

So, sadly, it’s look as if I’m going to have to give up the ghost on my mother’s Arctic Lace stole. If I really pushed myself, I might be able to get it done in a week but I really just don’t think I have it in me. Plus, I’m thinking it’s going to be on the short side. Sigh…

Luckily, when I was home on Sunday for my sister’s birthday my mother made a big fuss about my Gretel slouchy hat, and then bemoaned the recent hat and scarf purchase she had made. That planted the seed of abandoning the stole for something a bit more practical—a hat. If I have time, I’ll whip up a neck gaiter too. I can finish the stole for Mother’s Day, which eases any guilt I may feel.

I’m deciding between Le Slouch, Slouchy Copy Hat, Mary Jane’s Pithy Hat, and the Last Minute Purled Beret. They’re all fairly similar patterns, so it may very well be an amalgam of all of them. For the gaiter, I’m thinking Cherry Garcia, Tudora, or Kim’s Cashmere Neckwarmer. Hell, I may even just make something up. A simple knitted tube can’t be all that hard, can it? (Said the tired, crazy-eyed Christmas knitter as she picked up her pointy sticks.)

Has anyone else noticed that Christmas is in 17 short days? Is that fact making anyone else break out into cold sweats?

Yeesh - How did I manage to do this to myself this year? Three shawls did not seem like an overwhelming undertaking back in late September. While I’ve finished Clapotis for my one sister, I still need to do the border lace (including nupps) on my other sister’s shawl, and I may or may not have enough yarn to finish the remaining 2/3 of my mother’s Arctic Lace Stole. This may be a short post, my fingers are needed elsewhere!

Maybe the problem is that in between stuffing my face with the closest food item over Thanksgiving I decided to knit Calorimetry and finish my Gretel slouchy hat. I know, I lack focus and direction.

Gretel

Pattern: Gretel
Source: Ysolda
Materials: Cascade 220 (100% wool) in brown, 1 hank; Size 5 & 7 24″ circs, Size 7 DPNs
Started: Late October 2007
Completed: November 22, 2007

It’s so cute, it may just be worth the stress it’s caused me, since I sacrificed Christmas knitting time to finish it. I didn’t do the tubular cast-on, mainly because I’m lazy and mostly because the directions made my eyes go googly—I did the regular long tail. I like it, but I think I need to block it again, because it’s just not slouchy enough. The cable pattern is just gorgeous though, and it was a lot of fun to knit.

Carolimetry

Pattern: Calorimetry
Source: Knitty
Materials: Filatura di Crosa 127 Print (100% wool) in brown, 1 hank; Size 8 24″ Circulars
Started: November 18, 2007
Completed: November 18, 2007

This took about a day to knit. But now I’m kind of wishing I’d picked a more neutral color, since it’s a little loud. Oh well. Also, if I ever make one of these again, I’ll go down a size and to make a denser fabric. It’s really stretchy, and a little bit too big. Still have to add a button too. *sigh*

In other news, I finally made it to my local knit night last week. Not surprisingly at all, I had a wonderful time. The lovely Jenna found me on Ravelry and invited me to come, which was just the push I needed. Everyone was so warm and nice, and I can’t tell you how great it is to sit at a table of women who are just as nerdily obsessed with the same craft as you are. Nerdily in a good way, of course. Yay fun!

And one last thing. Just as soon as all this Christmas lace knitting is done, I’m casting on for Dahlia in the new Knitty. So cute, and I have the exact yarn in the exact amount called for in the pattern in just the right color, just sitting in my stash waiting to be used up. Serendipity!

Knitting daydreams are a wonderful thing. I can spend hours upon hours thinking about a project, picking out the perfect yarn, pricing it and (this is my favorite part) adding it to a list. But the problem is, a lot of these “knitting dreams” never actually make it on to my needles. I lose interest, either due to seeing 5,000 different versions, my tastes change or something else catches my fancy. It’s not really a problem - I get a lot of enjoyment out of imagining all the things my needles and yarn can do, it’s just interesting to see which patterns are actually made and  even make it out of the house on my person.

I guess the reason I’m thinking about this is that my Ravelry queue has grown to immense proportions. I’ve listed somewhere in the neighborhood of 140 projects I’d like to make. 140 projects!! Considering I usually finish (and by finish I mean, seamed, blocked, signed, sealed, delivered, ohyeah) around 14-16 projects a year, it would take me about 10 years to finish these. Unless I no longer have to work, eat or sleep and can knit 24-hours-a-day. While a tempting thought, this is not likely. So let’s take a gander at just the top 15 projects in my queue:

1. Ester Shrug in Cascade 220, Lake Chelan Heather
2. Mermaid Fingerless Gloves, Socks That Rock Lightweight, Corvid
3. Top-down Boatneck Sweater (own design), Rowan Kidsilk Haze, Smoke
4. Modified-to-Suit-Winter-Wear Green Gable, Elann Peruvian Alpaca, Thistle
5. Danica, Noro Silk Garden, #269
6. Sideways Spencer, Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, Blue Ink
7. Kiri Shawl, Jaggerspun Zephyr, White
8. Gathered Pullover, Elann Pure Alpaca Fina, Loganberry
9. Spiral Boot Socks, Reynolds Sea Wool, Purple
10. A Cardigan for Arwen, Elann Highland Wool, Oatmeal Heather
11. Chevalier Mittens, Green Mountain Spinnery Mountain Mohair, Elderberry
12. Arm Warmers, Blue Sky Alpacas Sportweight, Eggplant and Natural Dark Grey
13. Swatch Bangles, Scrap Yarn
14. Trapeze Jacket, Classic Elite Classic 150, Ivy
15. Juno Regina Shawl, Handpaintedyarn.com, Cuarzo Verde

Crazy right? And I only have yarn for three of these projects: the Ester shrug, Kiri and A Cardigan for Arwen. I’ll have to check back in February or March to see which two or three of these have actualy been made.

So what’s holding up  progress on my selfish knitting dreams? Why Christmas knitting, of course. As I’ve said before, I’m only planning on three items for this year, shawls for my two sisters and mother. I’m almost done with the Swallowtail shawl for one sister, however I’ve hit a roadblock. Instead of knitting 14 repeats of the bud lace chart, I’ve knit 15. So now I can either tink back 6 rows (which is undoing close to 700 stitches), or I can forge on and knit four more repeats to go the next size up on the shawl, a la Pepperknit. But I’m not sure if I have enough yarn. So this is on hold until I can bring myself to tink or take a risk. Any opionions on what I should do? I only have three hanks of the yarn I’m using, Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk, which is about 500 yards total. Should I risk the larger size?

In the meantime, I’m working on my other sister’s Clapotis, which I’m knitting up in Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in a gorgeous rust shade. I’m really enjoying this one, which is unexpected, given all I’ve heard about the stockinette hell that is the Clap. To each her own, I guess.

I really have no excuse for not blogging, I’ve been reading a lot, work has been busy…blah blah blah. As usual though, I have been knitting. I’ll throw out some FOs, that’s what we all want to see anyways, right? Right.

Just in time for Halloween or “Harvest Celebration” as my third-grade-teacher sister is forced to call it, a lovely pumpkin-shaded scarf. This was also done just in time for my dear friend’s birthday.

Misty Garden

Pattern: Misty Garden
Source: Scarf Style
Materials: Morehouse Merino 3-Ply (100% merino wool) in pumpkin, 2 hanks; Size 8 SPs
Started: Late September 2007
Completed: October 21, 2007
I’m in love with Morehouse Merino. I happened upon it by chance at my LYS, spotting it from across the room and immediately recognizing it as the perfect color for my aforementioned friend. It’s very soft and buoyant and blocks very nicely. I can’t even imagine how lovely a whole sweater made of it would be. I’ll have to try out their laceweights next. Oh, and the pattern was simple and great. But I’m sure you knew that already since everyone and their sister has made it.

Coquette Lace Tube Top

Pattern: Coquette Lace Tube Top
Source: Fitted Knits, Stefanie Japel
Materials: Cascade Pima Tencel (50% cotton, 50% tencel) in navy, 5 skeins; Size 5 24″ circulars
Started: July 2007
Completed: August 2007
This was a fast, fun knit, however the top is a bit too loose. If I were to do it again, I would probably go another size needle size down for the ribbing or do a tubular cast on. As it is, I will have to sew in some elastic thread, which won’t happen until I pull this out again next summer. I also feel a little va-va-voom in it, so outfit negotiations may have to be made before it’s worn out of the house!

That’s it for now, I’m in the thick of Christmas knitting, so I’ll give you an update on that soon. I’ve decided to just make shawls for the lovely ladies in my family this year - a Diamond Fantasy for Mom, and a Clapotis and Swallowtail for each sister. I’m also plugging away on a Gretel slouchy hat and the ever present Broad Street Mittens. Oh, and the Monkey socks. All I have left is to kitchener one toe, so once I get that done, hopefully before the second coming, I”ll be able to debut my very first completed socks.

You can also check this all out on Ravelry, where I’m listed as maureenwell. Stop in and say”hi” if you’re signed up.

Happy Halloween everyone!

I hope everyone has enjoyed their Labor Day weekend; we spent ours puppy-sitting Max, a lovely German Shepherd mix. Naturally, he and Oliver get along famously.

Sleepy puppies…

Now. On to the knitting.

Maybe I’m a bit on the