Grab your knitting needles and come relax with me.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Now Knitting
This post was written under the influence of Sting.
Twirly progress!!!! This skirt is turning viral, both A. and my mom are knitting one up. They are almost done while this slow poke lags behind.
I am really enjoying this bit of straight knitting (I am about 2 inches more into the blue as I type this). The Twirly Skirt is going well, I am not bored and I am EVEN contemplating another one (fantasizing about new colours). I finished up a horrid day of i-cord knitting (bleh!!) and "sewed" the casing for the i-cord to go through. I say "sew" because I merely knitted the cast on edge to the live row about 5 or 6 rounds after the i-cord holes. The white you are seeing is the kitchen cotton I used as a core in the i-cord. I am hoping by both using that core and knitting the cord on size 3s it'll make the cord less likely to go super stretchy.
Pretty, eh? Lori is a hard task master. If I am not knitting it she becomes irritated and demands, "Why are you not knitting my skirt!?" I am also knitting a small commission piece for a friend...so I am trying to sneak that in. So this week: I am surrounded by cotton. Cotton all day every day. Grin. The I Love Cotton is really soft and easy to work with (unlike the rough kitchen cotton).
Speaking of cotton, I am going to reconfigure the Aegis scarf pattern as a baby blanket (knit with a soft fingering weight cotton) for a friend of ours with a baby girl named Athena. Jamey thought it would be something really cool for her, since the name and the theme of the Aegis was inspired by the goddess Athena. I will be offering the blanket reconfiguration as well. It's to be a free addendum to the scarf pattern. I also wanted something easy to wash, but still blockable.
Further speaking of cotton (dude it IS all about the cotton isn't it??), I picked up some Blue Sky Cotton for a special project. (More to come tomorrow, when I can get pictures and all). It's really neat and I am hoping this will bring this project to more knitters. Anyway: preview, the cotton is a beautiful deep teal...and lusciously soft.
So I have been wondering what to do with the 6 grams of the Sea Silk I had left over from the Aegis.
Jamey suggested I make a bracelet. Eh. That idea didn't pop, although gauntlets did sound interesting. But today, a wee, tiny knitting bunny was born. What about a choker? That was be fun. (Okay yeah I have serious issues with things on my hands, esp nice things that I could lose or ruin. I had an incident as a child with a dumpster). I gotta go run and look at my stitch dictionaries now.
And ya know: speaking of the Aegis...ya know despite it being lace. It is quite manly lace. Just so ya know...
The Aegis (pronounced eejis) is a fun lace scarf, knit with one hank of Handmaiden Sea Silk; it's also a great project for a beginner lace knitter. It's knit in one piece without a special cast on or grafting. It just looks like you need to be an expert lace knitter to play with this one, but you don't.
You can buy the knitting pattern for this lovely Aegis at our shop.
Last night was my knitting clubs monthly potluck: once again no piccies. Saturday was so high energy, I was too pooped to snap. I had taken nearly 70 pictures that afternoon of the Aegis scarf, I took about 50 more today. Not sure if I am happy with how they turned out.
The pattern WILL be up Monday. I have to decide what pictures I want to use in publishing it and polish up the formatting in the pattern as well.
So I'll ask y'all a question (or two): What do you like to see in pattern pictures? What is it that makes or breaks whether you'll buy/knit up a pattern based in the image?
Last night, I was finally persuaded to take the dive and join Facebook...so I did in spades. I joined both as an individual and a business so look for me (if ya want) as Birdy Evans or Birdy's Knits. So far I feel lost and I am a definite newbie. And since we are on the subject of social networks, I am also on MySpace, as the same.
Now that I am finished with Aegis and before I start a new design, I decided to start some socks. I decided upon the Bettie's Lace Stockings (rav link) from Spring 09 Interweave. I just started them so I don't have proper in progress pics. I did decide to do my own toe (instead of following the pattern, so I had to rearrange some things when the lace pattern started). I am using some of the new sock yarn I got for my birthday, a delicious red yarn.
I picked up the needles on the Lace Ribbon Scarf and the Snow Flurries Blanket. I'll prolly start sketching my new design this week...letting the knitting bunny work itself into a slather sometimes makes the design have a bit of punch to it. Grin.
Woot. Stayed up late last night finishing it. The pattern ought to be ready next week. It's blocking and I have been told to let Handmaiden SeaSilk dry for a few days (please join me in hoping my cats stay off of it!). And then I still need to take the final pictures.
But here is the scarf blocking: it blocked out to 12 inches by 57 inches.
I decided to play around with the edging as a finished the scarf--it's slightly different from the beginning. I am just glad it's done--it was a fun scarf to knit and the yarn was absolutely sublime to work with.
Speaking of yarn I had 6 grams left of the 100 gram hank. I cut it very close--but that's good--one wants a project that uses up a whole hank of expensive yarn.
Oh and the yarn smelled EVEN better while it soaked than it did dry. LOVE this yarn. Grin.
My Photo Set, if you want to check out all the beauty shots, as well as the rumpled mess it was pre-blocking. Oh and I got to use my new foam mats to block--love them!
P.S.: What do work on next? I am itching to start the lace knee highs I have been jabbering about. BUT the Knitting Bunnies need tending too. AND I still have several projects, yet unfinished, that well need some finishing. Oh the dilemmas us knitters face. Grin.
Was kidnapped last night for some coffee/book buying/knitting time last night by A. I finally found a copy of Franklin's It Itches.
No flickr today kidlets--Momma and Flickr are having a disagreement. HA! Momma lost her brain and can't remember her sign in!!
It's fabulous (and had me in stitches) and it just makes me want to meet Franklin ALL the more (hmmm, he lives in Chicago, maybe he's a U2 fan and would let me crash...hmmm. Nah. That would be weird. LOL. Sorry I learned today that I will have to be driving 5 hours to see my precious band and I am kinda bummed. I was hoping to trick Bono to peeing on the Alamo...lol. J/K really.). LONG inset there, sorry. I was so close to meeting him too! He sent this lovely card with my friend.
On to other things: The Aegis scarf. I have about 20 more ounces until I need to start the border. My math got way off so I am not even sure how many more repeats that is.
See I am just plowing through it:
I really need to magically learn to knit faster--my blog would be so much more interesting and I would get SO MUCH more done!! Grin, but really, then I wouldn't be the same obsessive compulsive Birdy now would I??
The other day a Knitting Bunny jumped out of my head fully formed. Yea!! It's one I have been working on for that Buffalo Gold yarn I bought a few months back (at Kid N Ewe).
Now, I am wishing that damn Bunny could knit too! My swatch is giving me a headache on top of the sinus headache (thank YOU allergies!) I already have. The numbers aren't adding up and with this head ache--GOOD BYE!
So I frogged the blasted thing and threw the yarn back in the drawer. Arggh! I think I might swatch again with some left over lace yarn to work out the numbers (don't want to ruin this nice luxury yarn with multiple froggings). The yarn looks great knitted up...it's really lovely.
Now, the Aegis scarf is coming along swimmingly...if I could behave myself and I might be able to finish it this weekend (yeah didn't I say that LAST week?) And very very soon you all will get a nice surprise: one that's been cooking for months...
P.S. I hope y'all have enjoyed my husband's posts. He's having lot's of fun writing posts when I come up "dry."
And dude, it was only $29.99! Jamey was balking at getting me a laptop bag. They are SO expensive. Never mind you want one in RED...going to be close to a $100. I love Target.
Ain't it sexy? There's lot's of room for knitting stuff.
And for the obligatory "knitting" content.
I am starting another Samara. Yes, I haven't finished the second one--it is still in time out.
Aegis is going on well: no pictures cause it still "looks" the same.
I found my camera today! I get a cookie! And you get some pictures.
Progress so far...
It's knitting up well...this is the slow, boring part. This is about let me see? 15 inches unstretched, and the piccie is finger blocked...let's say it's nearing 20 inches. I am nearing a half way point--somewhere in between 1/3 and 1/2 thru. Ball is still reassuringly heavy. Worry has not set in...yet.
I am really loving that transition, very kismet.
Look at that shot down the center of the battle lines...just breathtaking. This yarn is beyond pretty. It's gonna feel divine around my neck.
Can you see the shields? Or the soldiers lined up for battle? I wish my camera (or my photography skills) could do this yarn justice.
Visually it would be awesome to present the name I decided upon with a splashy beautiful, scrumptious work in progress shot. A lovely photographed close up that shows precisely why, Aegis, is SUCH a great name for this scarf of mine.
Sadly, I have misplaced my camera (once again--seriously I need a clapper for that thing. I suspect the camera and the remote have gone off on holiday together.) and I can't give you that photo.
But I did give you a name, Aegis. It means shield and it sounds really nifty. Eeejiss. And there isn't any other pattern by that name on Ravelry either. (It did come down to a pattern name search on Ravelry to decide between Athena and Aegis).
Too anxious to knit (friend in hospital), so I am researching name choices, by brushing up on my greek myths.
So far I really like Athena or Aegis (pronounced: ee-jis.).
Can you see it? What do you think?
(Yes nomen is Latin, but I prefer the names of the Greek Gods over the names Latin gods. Minerva sounds old fashion and smacks of Harry Potter. I also can't type out the letter of the Greek alphabet.)
Everyone might be aware of it, but since I tend to be wrapped up in my own style and ignore current fashion: I just noticed it today. Scarves. They are everywhere...and not the heavy duty-wear with a coat when it's cold. But it seems everyone is wearing scarves all the time.
I like FINALLY being in fashion. Grin.
And it's a good thing I LOVE to design scarves.
I am making great progress on my newest scarf (still un-named, too busy knitting!). I have about 4 repeats done...yes, I am slow!! Anyone want to test knit? See if they can beat me to the finish line?
Anyway, let's hope this scarf trend continues. Speaking of scarves: The Lace Ribbon scarf is going well too (even though I noticed a teeny mistake--that I am proudly NOT ripping out). This scarf is my carry around project, the pattern is easily memorized. The Crayzee Scarf--is going at a snails pace, grin.
I am making some nice progress on my newest design. Still have no name for it though, even though I have had lot's of lovely suggestions. I am still thinking ancient greek, but perhaps more Spartan, more warrior. Actually I have been too busy knitting and haven't referenced my greek legends.
I've finished both the first non-repeating motif and the first repeating motif.
I am, as always, worried that I won't have enough yarn. So I have been feverishly looking up "stats" of other scarves and such. I am also making good use for my new scale and am weighing everything. LOL. Jamey thinks I need to chill.
I am LOVING knitting with this Handmaiden Sea Silk. This stuff is like a siren. I want to buy more so I can ALWAYS have a Sea Silk project. It's incredibly soft. I keep the project stored in a gallon zip lock bag and the first thing I do before I reach in to take the project out: I stick my nose in the bag and inhale. Ah the smell of the sea. It's captivating. A true yarn thrall. I might look to the Odyssey for name inspiration.
The product of my yarn thrall. And yes, Robyn, it does smell of the sea. You can especially smell the sea when you stick your nose in that hole.
I was a good girl and resisted casting on, so I could finish up some housework. Yea! Cookie for me. Grin. Then of course as soon as I was finished...I cast on. Wow. This yarn is so soft--it's an utter delight to work with.
By this afternoon, I can present the border edge for my new scarf.
So far the colours are looking fab--I am excited to see how the transition works out.
I am still brainstorming a name for this scarf. I am thinking something Grecian, martial, Spartan--some name from Ancient Greece. No I am not naming it Xena
I wound the hank of seasilk today. I don't have a ball winder or a swift. I kinda like doing it by hand anyway...it can take a long time and things can go very badly (i.e knots so bad that you consider harikari with some scissors). But if you were safe and impatient and used the machines: then you wouldn't get this.
The Yarn Thrall.
This beauteous 400 meters of bronzey goodness is 70% silk and 30% seacell. It is unbelievable soft; the color is superb. It's not just about the feel or the appearance. It's the SOUND--that enthralls me It whispers through your fingers, it rustles when you shake the hank and it crinkles ever so slightly. I stop winding every so often, just to rattle the hank and listen as the silk and seacell rub together, producing the soft sound of the sea.
Bliss.
I think it took me three hours to wind, just because I kept loosing myself to the sound of silk.
Jamey helped me solve my knitting bunny conundrum...in logical fashion. His goal is: DESIGN SOMETHING--KNIT SOMETHING already with all that expensive yarn you insist on buying!!! I am inclined to agree with him because I love the thrill of the New. And I am still researching pictures and stitch patterns for the wild flower motifs I want to use for the bison wool. So: the shield scarf (temp name) come up to BAT!
I found the exact stitch patterns I want to use and I finished writing up the charts with the motifs I'll be using. They are working BEAUTIFULLY together (so far) on my speadsheet. Now, I gotta knit it up and see for sure.
First I need to wind this pretty soft thing up into a ball, tomorrow.
It's a great feeling of accomplishment. Knitting Bunny is happy: current WIPS well I hear some grumbling coming from the basket. Lalalala I don't hear you!!
So, to tackle my problem and prevent bloodshed. I don't want knitting or writing to win out--a compromise IS needed. I am going to (ah the Dread) try to schedule myself. Knit in the afternoons and evenings; write in bed before I go to sleep (kids asleep or at least quiet in their room). I am even going to schedule myself some design time.
Now, I just need to figure out how to compromise my high knitting standards and learn how to knit faster. Yeah that is totally happening...hahaha!
I also need to decide which knitting bunny to tackle first. Do I go the easy road or the hard road: one is pretty much designed in my head; the other the IDEA is in my head and is a more complex design. Should I rush it? Grrr...argh.
Today, I am cleaning and getting tidy. I'll sneak some knitting time in after dinner. And maybe then, I'll decide which knitting bunny to placate.
This post was written under the influence of Sting.
