Excuse to add to stash?

Just had a thought! This baby aran pullover thing might just make my yarn stash grow! I can see a couple of more yarn I'll have to try before getting the gauge right.

Look what I found! Someone knitted this sweater. Check out JenLa. Scroll down to see it. She used fingering weight! Ah ha! Gerald, you are right!

Still no luck!

Still no luck finding yarn for the baby aran pullover. I couldn't even find info on the suggested yarn, Le Fibre Nobili/Plymouth Yarn Merino. *sigh* It's not even on the Plymouth site. I guess I'll have to ask someone when I go to the Fair Isle class this Sunday.

Not all worsted are the same!

Everyone knows that! One yarn can be called worsted, but it doesn't mean that it's the same as the next worsted weight yarn! Well, I didn't think about that when I purchased the yarn for baby aran pullover. I got all the baby stuff. I was going to start with the Origami, but my #6 needles were busy with the afghan squares. So the pullover it was. I started making a swatch to check the gauge. 28 sts and 38 rows to 4" with seed st was what it called for, but I am getting 21 sts! ARRGGH I can't go down one size on the needles. They are #4 now. Smaller needles would make the fabric too stiff I am afraid. Looking at the yarn label, it says 17 st 23 rows to 4" on size #8. That's not going to work. I already know that it's thicker than most other worsted weight I've worked with. Do I try looking for something that's 20 st to 4"? Maybe something even lighter? Most labels show gauge in stockinette. How do I know what it is for seed st? Does seed st fabric have more stitches per inch than stockinette? Any insights? Anyone?

LTKA Square Three

Square Three, Basketweave
This one knitted up real fast. Maybe because it was more interesting than just plain knitting. I haven't woven in the ends yet. That makes it three squares that I need to do that. Anyone else hates weaving in ends as much as I do?

It is a little smaller than the Garter Stitch Square. It will need to be stretched a bit during blocking. Also the texture is a little too bumpy than I like. Blocking will take care of that. I was told that steaming is not good for cables or ribs. Is it true for basketweave?

Next sqaure, Lattice with Seed Stitch.

LTKA Square Two

Square Two, Simple Stripes Stockinette Stitch
It just needs binding off then it is done. I left it on the needle so that it was easier to take a picture without it rolling up too much. I had forgotten how stockinette curl so much.

Halfway through knitting the square I put it down next to the first one and I cringed. I couldn't see how they could fit together. After giving it a little thought, I wasn't that worried anymore. There will be 6 color combinations. The dominant colors will be Winter Night and Fern. And these are only 2 squares out of 63. I can definitely find an arrangement when all the squares are done to make it beautiful.

The next one is basketweave. I can't wait. I also need to cast-on for the baby sweaters for my friend Jennifer. First I need to sort through the yarn. I just got them few days ago. I ordered a bunch for the sweaters and the Dulaan Project. I am kicking myself for not making a list of what's what.

LTKA Square One

Square One, Simple Stripes in Garter Stitch
It is done! Well, almost. I haven't woven in the ends or blocked it. I think I am going to wait and block all the squares around the same time. I procrastinate when it comes to weaving in the ends. I can never decide which is the best way to do it. I don't want to increase bulk. I don't want them visible. I want them secure. You know all that stuff.

Here are a few pictures of our living room:

Can you see the colors of my Learn-to-Knit Afghan?

Mosaic Knitting

I have to stop browsing online for knitting books. I want this one too! ARRRRRGH!

Norsk Strikkedesign

Oh my gosh! I cam across this book, Norsk Strikkedesign. I want it! I maybe crazy. But just look at what's inside! This link opens a page of kits for the garments inside the book. Don't they look like amazing projects? Has anyone seen this book?

Learn-to-Knit-Afghan on the needles

I've started the first square of the afghan. I'm actually further along on the process, but Blogger has been up and down that I wasn't able to post this picture earlier.

The first two squares are simple stripes. First one with garter stitch and the second with stockinette stitch. Quite boring... eh, meditative. It will start getting interesting from third square on, beginning with basketweave. I will post a picture with each completed square.

I am a little worried about the assembly of the squares. I don't know how! There are a lot of suggestions in the book but without details. Sew? Crochet borders? Knitted borders? I hope I have a book around somewhere on this subject.

House of Jazzy Feet

As I mentioned last night, Toe Jazz socks are done! The right sock was a little stressful to knit at the end. I tried a different technique for picking up stitches along the heel, which resulted in a little hole on one side. There was also a hole at the big toe that didn't happen to the left sock. I did go in and close it up a little, but the Virgo in me was not happy. LOL

You can see the stripes didn't match on the socks, even though I tried starting at about the same spot on the self striping yarn. I guess this is the nature of these yarn? Anything can cause the variation. Maybe the tension? Maybe how the yarn was dyed? At least the pattern is busy enough that they look matching. But the toes give them away.

The above two pictures were taken after I walked around with the socks on for a while.

This picture was taken after the socks went through washing and drying. They are a lot softer now. Thumbs up for KnitPicks. They also fit better than before. I am not so sure about doing cables on socks though. If you don't do the heel flaps right, they can be real baggy and ugly. I may give this pattern another try with modified measurements.

March 22, 11:30 AM Correction: I should say that I don't know about cables on socks for sandals. It's the cables on the heel flaps that I had problems with.

New Knitting Class Schedule

My LYS posted their Spring 2006 class schedule. They heard our request for a Fair Isle class. Yay! But only one two-hour class? Can it be done? Will we be making something useable?

There's also a Two Socks At Once class! Hey, we were just talking about this on Dave's blog. They are teaching the method of using two circs or one very long circ. One long circ? Is this what Jonathan was doing? I like the sound of that. I just might have to take the class!

Movie and Some Soul Food

We went to see Tsotsi, which won an Oscar for Best Foreign Film. It was pretty good. It wasn't fast paced with twists and turns. But the acting was really really great! Got a few tears out of me at the end. Had to wipe my face quickly before the lights came on. LOL

Went to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles and got some soul food for lunch. It's probably not good for your health, but it is VERY GOOD! If you follow the link for the review on the restaurant, you will read about Big Mama. They are not kidding. Big Mama WILL tell you to keep your elbows off the table. I had the honor of being scolded once! But it was all fun. Big Mama really takes care of ya. If you visit L.A., you should get there and try some wickedly tasty fried chicken for yourself.

OK, I should get to my Toe Jazz. I haven't picked up the needles today and it's already after 4 PM. I'm beginning to feel that the Reversed Ace of Wands may be right after all.

Learn-To-Knit-Afghan

These are the yarns for the new learning project. They are all Wool of the Andes from KnitPicks. The colors are Fern (looks familiar Dave?), Winter Night, Wheat and Carrot. Chestnut for the borders when putting the squares together. Inspiration for the colors are from our livingroom. But I honestly don't know if it's going to be used in there or not. I can't wait to get started.

I have picked out two patterns from Vogue Knitting's Baby Knits Two for my friend's triplets. One is Origami Baby Jacket. I'm making two of these. The other is an Aran Pullover. Both patterns call for 100% Wool. I think I'm going to use Superwash Wool or some kind of Wool blend so they are machine washable. I don't think she has time to hand wash! :-) Now I have to shop for yarn. Oh! And yarn for the Dulaan Project!

Toe Jazz Update

Working on the heel flap now. I haven't been knitting much in the past few days. I do want to speed up and try to finish it by Saturday.

Photocasts

I have a few Photocasts created with iPhoto on the Mac. The links are in the sidebar. But I have no idea how this works for people not using iPhoto. If I try to open it on my Mac, it just opens it in iPhoto. If any of you click on one of them, let me know how it works for you. Does it open the RSS reader automatically? Is it slow? Are there too many photos? Feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

What's next?

I'm still knitting Toe Jazz to complete a pair. But I am trying to figure out what to do next. I'm eager to try something bigger! I know I have to knit at least 3 baby sweaters. But they don't have to be finished until next Fall. I pulled out this book from my book collection:

Learn-To-Knit-Afghan Book
by Barbara Walker

I can't believe that I haven't started this. I got this book when I first started knitting. The purpose is to learn numerous techniques through knitting afghan squares. Mosaic, slip-stitch, twist-stitch patterns, cables and lace, to just name a few. I flipped through the book. Holy cow! I'm excited! Why did I put this off for so long, considering that I have purchased all the yarn and notions? And knitting one square at a time will sure to keep things interesting. Yes, I can do this and knit the baby sweaters at the same time. Yay!

Knitting out of Africa

Knitting out of Africa
by Marianne Isager

I got this book in the mail yesterday! Some great designs in there! The author also tried to keep things interesting by incorporating different techniques like entrelac, slip-stitch, intarsia, stranded color knitting and double knitting. How fun!

Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needles

Does anyone use Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needles? Is this worth it? I've never used plastic needles before. Somehow it's just not appealing to me. But I like the idea of having a set that has all the usual sizes. Ready for any project.

Tristan

What? Is he making a face at me? Where did he learn how to do that?


That's much better!

Toe Jazz - one down, one to go

The left sock is done! I really like it. It fits! I slipped a stitch while grafting the toe section. I thought I had picked it back up safely, but in fact it dropped one row down. I had to go in when weaving in the end yarn to try to tidy it up a bit. I really like the cable twists. Really cool!


I did an Old Norwegian Cast-On on two needles. I believe it is strechier than the Long-Tail Cast-On. At least that's what I read somewhere. It does seem to be true here. It was also the first time for me to add stitches with backward-loop cast-on when dividing the big toe from the rest. Knitting with this cast-on was not fun!

The pattern only gives instructions on one size which is for average adult feet. Guess I'm average?? :-)

Now on to the right sock!

Toe Jazz - update

I was trying on the Toe Jazz to see how far I have to go with the big toe. I just couldn't resist taking a picture. Doesn't it look comfy with the DPN's? :-)

Question. Do you block your socks?

Toe Jazz - toe socks in progress

This is what I am working on. Toe Jazz, pattern by Fiber Trends. Did I say I LOVE knitting socks? I am knitting these with KnitPicks' Simple Stripes, color Sunset. The colors are brighter than I thought. I guess that's the risk you take when you order online without getting a yarn sampler first. But, I'm going to wear them anyway! (Yes, they are for me.) This is my first time using self-striping yarn. I was worried how it would turn out with the cable twists in the pattern. I think it turned out OK. I can't wait to get to the part where I have to divide the big toe from the rest of the toes. Let's hope that will go well.

I will post the finished project with them on the feet. I know, I know. I promised a hat-on-the-head picture for the brioche hat and that hasn't happened. Can I blame it on the partner? hehe

Lace Knitting

Who's knitting The Princess Shawl
- The Princess Diaries
- The Point of Knitting

Who's knitting The Wedding Ring Shawl
- The Wedding Ring Chronicles
- LaceFreak
- yorksett

Who's knitting the The Spider Queen Shawl
- KnitterGuy
- MissAliceFaye

If you are knitting, or have knitted one of the above, please leave a comment. I'd like to add you to the list. :-)