Also got two books in the mail today: Finishing techniques and the Zimmer Almanac book. HURRAH!

cuet!

I’m knitting the annual scarf, but I should have bought three balls of wool.

I took pics of my UFOs this weekend but they’re still on my camera.

gifts:

-lace-y scarf in lovely knitpicks andean silk for my grandmother, 3/4 done.

-gruff, cable scarf for my grandfater, 1/2 done

-another tychus hat, different colors for my bro, 7/8 done

to do:

-simple watchman’s hat for george

to finish (as in weave ends, line, block, etc.):

-cat ear hat for niece

-beanie for nephew

-monogram purses for nieces

-cardigan for mother

won’t go into my sewing list.

I noticed again that the way our teacher teaches (hah!) us the long tail cast on is COMPLETELY different than the way it’s pictured in books. Well, not COMPLETELY but still, well, different.

I really don’t get the long tail cast on. When and why do you need it? I’ve done a pattern that called for it using it, and then again with just a knit-on cast on and saw no difference.

I finally figured out why the long tail cast on is good: it knits up the first row for you, provides a more stable edge, and it’s more elastic. I’ve been using it on the multitude of hats I’ve been making and it seems nicer than the ones where I just did the twisted loop or knit cast on.

On the needles:

ski cap for stepfather

the baby blanket that will never be finished at this rate

to finish:

need to cut the brim insert, sew it up and wash the Topi for my brother

to start:

multicolored hat done with some Malabrigo and sari silk. Just wound the Malabrigo into balls last night, damn if it isn’t the softest wool ever.

two more hats for friends, both guys. I’m tempted to make one of them a crazy fuzzy Russian thing.

Tempting, from knitty. I want armbands! plus, it’s finally something for me.

I think she suggested it cause it’s more consistent? She taught us another one... that I can’t remember either. Something with cutting a yarn and putting it around the other yarn? Shit, brain deterioration AHOY.

I want to knit that!

Tempting, from knitty

Dude, I’ve had this on needles for nearly a year now.

perhaps soon I will emerge from crippling, isolation-depression and we can have a knit-a-long.

the ripple stitch is really lovely! sadly, i didn’t finish the scarf for my mother while i was in buffalo (her birthday is on thursday). once i buy some batteries, i’ll get a picture of it up.

that’s my only knitting project at the moment. the crochet will have to take a backseat until the season of gift-crafting is over.

So what’s everyone learning in their COURSE? I’m really happy I joined the course. It’s really lovely to be able to sit down and chat with others. Not that I do so much because I usually just lick my lips when doing my knitting. :-D But it’s great hearing others chatter away.

it’s been about a year since I’ve taken mine. I learned a lot there but I don’t know if I’ll take more. (maybe sock)

I never took a knitting course. I just had some Canadian ladies teach me on my lunch break. My lack of proper training is probably what keeps me from tackling a cardigan or the cable stitch.

ooh Sam, maybe doing Tempting will lead us into socks? I’ve not done cables befire, but it looks fairly straightforward.

The one regular knitting circle thing I attended, at the LYS, featured women in their 50s talking about their mothers’ sex lives. It was certainly interesting!

tempting is just a rib pattern (if we’re looking at the same one.)

cables are very simple, give them a try on a purse or a scarf first.

Crap! It’s not Tempting, it’s Fetching! I do like that one, though. Here’s what I was thinking of:

http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/PATTfetching.html

I got some yarn for it already, but I’m not sure I’ve got needles small enough. My wrists are huge, so it may require tweaking.

ahh, haha, I wondered what you meant by armbands!

I was actually thinking of doing that pattern this morning. . .

I have one skein of a bulky, handpainted rowan I need to do something with and I thought of fingerless things. I don’t think it’d be the right yarn for this pattern though.

Hm, I’d think bulky would be too much for this pattern, unless you wanted wrist splints!

haha, yeah. not a cable. but maybe just a plain stockinette stitch? it’s really soft yarn.

That should work. Like it says in the pattern, it doesn’t take long to do so if you decide it’s not right then it’s a small thing to rip.

I found a couple of knitalongs for the Fetching that indicated that there’s another way to do the thumb that adds less bulk—they did a gusset instead. I don’t know how to do this, but I think I can dig up the link.

Cables are easy! I haven’t tried it in a cardigan/sweater/uh proper thing yet but I’ve tried it just for fun and it’s so easy!

My course lasts three whole YEARS. Eep. I don’t know if I’ll manage to do all three but I’m more than willing to try. YAY. :-) Lace making however... I know I should just enroll in a course but I’m not up for it as I already do the knitting course and, well, it ain’t for fun (but for zee job mostly). (This is PROPER lace making not that knitting thing. hah!)

3 years????

geez louise.

I’ve only been knitting for about one.

a three year knitting course, nathalie? that’s like a degree in knitting. no wonder your assignments sound so much harder!

you’d think if it went on three years they’d take the pace a bit slower.

I think after xmas I want to do this for myself:

http://www.chicknits.com/catalog/ribbycardi.html

Wow, that’s really nice Sam! I’ve got a couple of cardigan patterns I want to try, but that might combine everything I like about each of them. Plus it looks like they are trying to market it directly to you!

I guess with a three year course they are expecting you to already be committed to knitting (hence the other beginners being more advanced than true beginners).

Oh yes, it’s given at a PROPER EVENING SCHOOL. (This means it’s funded by the state as a *Lifelong Education Program for Adults*.) I mean, yeah, it’s sort of difficult, but on the other hand you don’t have to do any exams and you have to knit one sweater but I don’t think that, if you don’t finish it, they’ll throw you out. It’s not like they have that many students. ;-) I just read the course program for the first year again. My migraine is now in full effect.

You are right in that way. I’m happy I didn’t know that it was such a *full-on* course—kinda silly cause if it’s three yrs you sort of have to expect that. The teacher is very nice. A bit stiff but deep down a VERY nice lady. And such a GR34T name: Gudrun!

Woha Nelly, I just saw the program for the third year. FULL ON crochet and also making your own frigging design.

*boom*

I like how one of my best friends was so *negative* about it—YOU KNITTING COME ON! READ SOME DOSTOYEVSKI!—but now is practically begging me to make her a scarf! *roffle* I’ll probably do it. What I most likely want to do (in a year or so) is do RETRO knitting: make old stuff. I already ordered some old patterns. (http://www.yesterknits.com/)

I RRRRREALLY would LOVE to make this one:

after three years, I’m sure you’ll be able to make anything nath!

that ribbed cardi is cheap too. the called for yarn is only $2.25 a skein!

oh yes need info on london yarn shops! are they open on a sunday????? INQUIRING MINDS need to know. :-)

off to knit some more on that matinee cardigan.

oh yes! i’m always jealous of these women who can knit and do something else (like read or watch telly). anyone here at that stage? gawd wouldn’t that be the bestest thing EVAH? :-)

i always knit and watch tv. you only need to glance down(or up) every few seconds.

for just plain old stockinette I can read, surf or watch tv. ribbing or other stuff takes more visual attention, but I can still listen to music.

charts, row counters are essential for multi taksing

I can sort of look up’n’down when plain knitting (not purling). Yesterday I watched CSI that way. Hurrah!

I have to be more miticulous about keeping my knitting diary: I forgot which nr of needles I used for the sweater (for Ophelia/KnitClass). Christ, I roffled (inwardly) at the fact the woman next to me in class was so miticulous and now I pay the price. :-(

I bought some Crystal Palace Choo Choo, and have started the Ballet Shirt in Loop d Loop. It’s a very quick pattern. And I bought some sheep buttons for my cardigan. I still have to do the neckband and button bands, ugh.

And I have various holiday presents to make.

I bought two pattern for making little stuffed toys, and some Oh My yarn, it’s very soft.

i gave up on my knitting journal long ago. I don’t throw away ball bands, thinking maybe one day I’ll catch up. but knowing me, I doubt it.

Nath, soon you’ll be able to do all manner of stitches while watching tv.

omigod I want to make these NOW!!

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTblu.html

(and Knitty, Marilyn wasn’t in Giant. grr.)

Damn those are adorable! I guess she was wearing jeans in The Misfits?

I put the brim in the Topi last night and washed it in cold water, so the damn thing didn’t shrink at all. Shrinking is critical for the hat to be the right size, or I will have to make a hydroencephalic friend real soon.

why didn’t you wash it in hot?

yes marilyn was in misfits. peoples need to get their 50s classics right!

srsly, I need to find a baby to knit those jeans for.

I goofed. I’ll wash it again, of course, but it was so not fun to pull a damp and floppy hat from the machine and realize it was still huge. I washed and dried the swatch and it shrunk, so hopefully it will be fine.

There was a great book of stills and accounts of the filming of Misfits at Half Priced Books... ah, what a film.

I’m sure you can find a baby! I mean: friends, family, make your own? ;)

OH MY GOD! I’m so fucking in LOVE with those jeans. This is coming from someone who usually hates knitted pants.

I frogged my hat. I think it was a good idea: It’ll teach me to make a gauge. This was s’posed to be for Ophelia but fucking up the gauge (too small -> less dependent) meant it would be for me and STILL be a little too big. I figured frogging it’d be better.

Eh, that matinee cardigan is a hellalot of work. But I’m doing the left panel (70 procent finished) and will then proceed to do other panel... and sleeves... and collar... AND SEAMING. Urgh. Probably will take it with me to class just for practice/check-up by teacher.

Other sweater: Oops, used wrong needles, so sleeves a bit larger. Ahum. Ah well... :-)

Live’n’learn, right?

Bought MORE yarn.

Oh and that frilly scarf:

Sort of like Wendy Knitit ribbon but bettah (duh) colours and much larger scarf:

LOL @ knit tit

Freedom Wool! what a name!

I got a needle gauge that has a handy gadget along the side—you set it as wide as 10 stitches and it tells you how many stitches per inch you’ve got. It has made gauge swatching much faster for me )especially after I got a couple of inches into a hat for my little sister and then realized it was big enough to go around my waist).

A classmate had oneof those. Never seen’em in my town. :-( Asked around but alas noone has it. So I’ll have to order it in. :-)

Believe me Nath, I don’t like knitted pants either. But those are awesome.

I think my youngest niece is too old for them so I shall have to make a baby of my own so I can knit them!

man, I’m dying to get started on post-xmas projects. . .

Yay, I made the left panel of the matinee cardigan. Trying to finish the other panel by the end of the week? Should be possible since husband is going out tonight so I’m all alone (with Ophelia sleeping) and my knitting needles. HURRAH. :-))))

I also have to knit 1 and a half sleeve for that other sweater but I PH34R that I used the wrong needle (4,5 instead of 4) as it seems so big. Then again it’s a baby sweater and they have to be roomy, right? (Excuses excuses.)

Anyone do entrelac?

Oh yes! Do you guys buy yarn without basing yourself on a pattern? HOw do you buy yarn?

I’d never heard of entrelac before, but I really like the look of this scarf.

Entrelac is peasy actually! I don’t really tend to like the effect of it though as it can get awfully bumpy in construction which isn’t to my taste I’m afraid—I am someone who cries with joy when seaming things when the seams just disappear and it is all lovely and smooth and hooray and LOVELY.

I am v happy there is a knitting thread here! I even signed up to the sandbox! Erm, and I also see managed to typo my heerlarious login name. Oops.

Current project updates! I did take photos but haven’t uploaded them, sorry...

I am FIVE ROWS from finishing the straight section of clapotis! The end is in sight. Am still undecided whether to give it as a present thus checking someone off the list or whether I will like it too much and I have to keep it! Suspect the final decision will be made once it’s blocked out.

SOX: I am practicing SHORT ROW HEELS. They are so much better than the heel-flap method! Except I keep making them gappy. However, with a bit of utterly terrible mangling I can make them go almost perfect—I printed off a guide to a double-wrap method of short-rowing heels/toes which I am going to try at the weekend.

Making socks on 4mm dpns with dk yarn is AWESOME. Stuff you 2mm needles and sock yarn! It is even better if the yarn is shocking pink :)

Also—secret christmas knitting. There is lots of it. LOTS. Argh! I am going to have to take days off to get it all done which I WILL spend knitting and not just watch episode of House and LOOK at the knitting...

Anyone do entrelac?

I want to try it, I like the look.

I’ll often buy yarn with the thoughts of making something. and then it sits. this is how you build a stash.

projects in progress (not posted on Flickr since they are gifts and I don’t want people to see them):

Lace-y scarf for grandma

Cable scarf for grandpa

Purse for my sister-in-law

inside purse showing off lazy lining and my little labels

Purses for my oldest nieces, pre-felting

Kitty ear hat for my baby niece

today I stayed home sick (for real sick) and I must now sew.

niiiiiiice! (hope you get better quickly!)

Ooh your kitty hat turned out awesome :)

Hope you recover soon, especially with this cold front we’ve got now.

I just took some pictures of the stuff I’ve finished in the past month—I need to get it all uploaded to share.

trying to finish this sweater! still gotta do half of the second sleeve, make collar and seam it all together! i’m thinking about putting in a zipper. is that difficult? i’ll ask my teacher!

very tempted to try ’n’ knit that jeans! might order some of that yarn. :-)

Am on the final decrease section. HOORAY!

In the meantime here is a hem hem profile shot. Lovely noro.

i absolutely LOVE this picture. i’m tempted to put my cheek up to the screen. :-D

i need to do something with noro again.

Just got a bunch of Noro, as the dear Mr. remembered we hadn’t gotten gifts for his part of the family yet. Hooray for hats!

HURRAH! Finished! The class was helladifficult. The lady next to me was CRYING. Poor thing. We had to do an elastic finish which baffled even the pros amongst us. :-) I didn’t really understand until the second time she explained. But next week she’s gonna teach us individually.

Next up? A DRESS. PAAAARTY. Yay.

I’m very excited because I LOVE to seam! I started in class and, I gotta tell ya, I’m not that bad at it. (NOt as horrible as with other stuff.) :-) Not saying that I know how to do it properly, but I sorta like doing it. :-)

Gonna try the sweater on tomorrow. Let’s hope it fits! I made it with yarn that I also used for a scarf for my mom (who lives in Japan). I figured I would make something that connects them. :-)

Such a pretty sweater! Very nice work, nathalie.

love to seam? srsly, you gotta finish my cardigan. it was supposed to be my mom’s bday present in May! I dread even pulling the thing out.

(and sweater looks lovely. what kind of yarn?)

Well, I’m not saying I’m great at seaming,but it was sorta fun. :-)

The yarn is Katia’s Mexico.

I just started the party dress. I made one tiny mistake AT THE SIDE which I can (hopefully!) cover up with my seaming techniques. Heh. Techniques. My husband is impressed with my knitting speed: I did about 12 cm in about 2 hrs. Or something. I hardly think that’s fast, but hey... :-)

I’m also now officially addicted to knitting and SEX (teehee). I can’t leave a shop without having bought some yarn. Yup yup. Swapped records for skeins. Ah well. :-)

A friend just said I was a good mother for giving Ophelia such lovely clothes. Aaaah.

how is the knitting tied to sex?

i haven’t bought any yarn except online in awhile.

SEX = Stash Enhancement Excursion, I think.

Swapped records for skeins

haha! I hear you!

That sweater is such a great color.

hi knitting persons! i just bought, at an estate sale, a beautiful knitted lap blanket. what is the best way to clean it? can i just throw it into a washing machine? i’d love to use it soon.

do you know what the yarn is? your best bet is probably to wash it on a cold cycle, and dry it flat.

it’s older and it looks like what i guess is ‘standard’ yarn. pretty plainish. wash on cold, dry flat. ‘ank you!

you just have to be careful the yarn content (wool, acrylic, etc.). Either way R/Z suggestion is best: cold cycle. Wool will lock up if washed in warm/hot water.

I gave a knitting lesson at lunch today. Someone came by and took pictures. The photos will go up on the Staffweb. Oh joy.

post pictures.

hooray for your knitting-ness! I keep thinking I’d like to do an after-school knitting club at the local hood school.

xpost: WOOHOO must see pics NOW!

It made the staff news feed. Big excitement in the library!

woo-hoo!

did you make converts then?

I did! I even taught my boss (blue shirt) how to purl in 5 minutes. She got the hang of it right away. I think there was talking of starting a lunchtime knitting club for the library.

Does anyone know how to make this type of stitch? It looks like a seed stitch on ‘roids.

Maybe the Vogue Knitting book has this stitch? Otherwise can you send me a bigger pic of the scarf to my email address (stevienixed at gmail.com) and I’ll ask on the mailing list I’m on!

BTW Wish I was at that get together!

OTN: Matinee Cardigan (still! But not for long!), two scarves and a party dress. The latter was patterned by my teacher but I ph34R that she made a mistake as her head will AGAIN not fit through it. But I don’t worry too much aout it as I have only done one panel so I Can either do an opening on the back or a sleeve. I think I’ll go with a sleeve. :-)

it’s probably a lace-y type thing with ssk and yarnovers. looks cool.

i’m behind on all my craft gifts, argh.

I’m totally behind on all my craft gifts too. Although, Pride and Prejudice has been on HBO NON-STOP and I feel obliged to watch it every time it’s on, so I am making some progress on my knitting.

Nath, that pic is from the Urban Outfitters site, and my friend (and fellow knitter) sent it to me asking. I don’t know if I can get a bigger picture! When the holidays pass, I may try to sort it out myself.

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=25147&iSubCat=88&iMainCat=77&pid=25147

Apparently, it’s the popcorn stitch. Well, the scarf is called popcorn, so, the modern internets led me to this site:

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/na_knitting/article/0,2025,DIY_14141_3502420,00.html

AKA: Trinity Stitch.

Fun! I may try this when my mom’s ripple stitch scarf is done.

hmm, i was looking around, it looks similar to honeycomb, no? (scroll down)

http://www.ashidome.com/blogger/archive_craftystitch.asp

but yes popcorn looks better

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hillarylang/25691744/in/set-546005/

I really want one of those stitch a day calendars.

The Honeycomb slip stitch is the coolest thing ever!

So, there was another knitting lesson today. My boss has a really odd way of holding the needles, and she’s not getting any yarn tension at all. Her dish cloth is really loose, but I’m not sure if it matters too much, as it’ll shrink in the wash. She claims she doesn’t like the “jam the right needle under your armpit” approach, which I quite like, and I’ve tried teaching her the German style (continental?) and no dice.

What do I do?

I’m going to lend her Stitch n’ Bitch this weekend.

um.. .my needle never goes under my armpit. perhaps she should use shorter ones or circs. I think tension, holding just come with time. my first few attempts were pretty natty looking.

She somehow plants one needle in her lap and works the other one around it. I think she just needs some guidance and where she should hold her yarn, etc.

I’m all about rockin’ the needle in the armpit.

doesn’t that hurt your shoulder after awhile?

No no, not at all. It doesn’t move, nor do your needles. I feel it’s more efficient.

Wow, I’d like to see that in action, I can’t picture how I’d put the needle in my armpit and do anything other than stab myself.

i ph34r my teacher has no clue of baby sizes as the dress I’m knitting doesn’t fit AT ALL. it’ll basically be a *t-shirt*. :-( i love my teacher dearly—honestly i do—but i ain’t gonna ask her to make me a pattern anymore.

i only do that needle in the armpit thing when using really long needles. it feels quite awkward, and i think for that reason i have a preference for shorter needles. i suspect the awkwardness is only a matter of practice though... doesn’t seem to slow the speed of knitting so i guess i should just get over it rather than trying to squeeze too many stitches onto shorter needles.

Circulars people, circulars! They’re not just for knitting in the round.

The long-needle-in-the-armpit approach gets lots of guffaws from hardened knitters, but I think you can see me doing it in the picture up thread. It’s so easy for me. Less arm movement. I can do the continental style knit stitch, but purling that way is the bane of my existence.

xpost: i’m not too fond of circs. i like’em instead of dpns but if they aren’t necessary, i keep away from’em.

why? srsly, my first knitting class introduced me to knitting straight with them and I’ve preferred them sense. stitches don’t fall off in transport, you have plenty of room, etc etc.

it feels a bit weird because the needles are so short, i guess.

i like circulars for straight knitting too, i’ve used them ever since doing a really long scarf in horizontal rows. i like to mix it up though and use normal needles every now and then though.

these are awesome:

http://www.clover-usa.com/cat.php?k=27241

They are basically split circulars? Wow.

I’ve been working on wristwarmers for my little sister, and her tiny wrists make them look so strange. I needed to change from a size 9 to a size 4 needle to get them the right scale for her! Tiny dpns make for lots of finger poking. They are quite easy though, just a 2x2 rib with a gap for the thumb:

http://slumberland.org/wp/2005/12/14/pattern-1-day-wristwarmers/

Nathalie, somewhere I saw a pattern for a girl’s dress that became a shirt as the child got older (a very simple a-line style). It seemed like a great way to extend the life of something that took so much effort to make! ok, here it is:

http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring04/PATTanouk.html

You could easily do something else with the pockets fr a different look.

My mu m sent me some of those takumi needles (but straight ones).

Oh wow, thanks for the dress pattern. I think I’ll give it a go!

I decided to frog it. No point in even trying to salvage this by knitting a bit on below. :-(

I just helped a lady at work who used to own a yarn shop in Manhattan. She and the store had a bad reputation, and boy oh boy, can I see why.

Gerstekorrel!

I’m going to call it that from now on! Tell us some other Dutch terms! I will try and catch up with G and see how her cardie is getting on too.

I don’t actually think the colourwork Texas will be that bad to be honest! The “bumpy” bit is only on one side so you’ll just be changing colours pretty much twice on each row apart from one section—just sort yourself out with yarn on some bobbins and I think it will be a lot easier than you think!

You have no idea how happy it makes me to be learning a craft where I get to use the word ‘bobbins’ in a real actual sense!

There’s so many!

Knit = Rechtse steek

Purl = Averechtse steek

Decrease = verminderen

Increase = vermeerderen

DPNs = Naalden zonder kop

Needles = naalden

Crochet = haken (verb)

That’s it for today. I’ll be testing you NEXT WEEK! ;-)

http://www.breienmetplezier.nl/breisteken.htm

One I hadn’t heard before:

Luie Wijvensteek: Lazy Bitches stitch!

I’m EXTREMELY tempted to enroll in the lacemaking clas (and use BOBBINS). Should I? My husband thinks it’s a HIDEOUS hobby. (As in VERY unsexxee.) Hmm what to DO.

Last night I was delirious after so much seaming and I’m also down with a bit of a cold, so hence the weirdo post. But now I’m FRESH and EAGER to start a new thing. I think I’ll drop in the LYS and look how much that LANA GROSSA yarn costs for that sweater. Maybe I’m a bit too optimistic and I will fail miserably at it? One can only try! :-) Gotta learn from your mistakes.

:-)

When I’ll be in Japan, I’ll be stocking up on bamboo needles and SPECIAL yarns. OH YEAH. :-)

mm, I used Lana Grossa for the ugly cardigan I mad for my mother. It wasn’t the yarn’s fault, just my poor color-picking skills.

My husband thinks it’s a HIDEOUS hobby. (As in VERY unsexxee.)

welcome to MY world.

Ooh, that dress looks really nice! No mistakes that I can see (but I love the idea of those smug fancy stitches giggling at us, the little pricks!)

I shipped out most of my holiday knitting last night and cringed at some of the things I did just a few months ago. I think it’s just part of the learning process.

Nathalie, I’m very jealous of your Japanese yarn expedition! They have such fantastic stuff, weird funky textures and all that.

Do these men realize that we’re armed with multiple sharp pointy sticks when they criticize our fun?!

I’m going to get a ball of this and make A RUFFLED CRAVAT (from the last knit1) and PANTALOONS from cut off leggings. Absolutely utterly awesome. I think the Wendy knitit is similar in scope to the Lion Brand ruffles they recommended.

It is important that I have a cravat.

SARAH! We learned to make this in class! I mentioned this on the previous thread? I can’t remember. But yeah GO FOR IT. I’m uh sort of currently trying to finish one for my MIL. I already made one for my mum (in Japan) and she LOVES it. Very easy to make but somewhat tedious process (as are all scarves... so far.... in my experience).

Anyway, I already uh started something new. I’m a bit stupid. Made the swatch but the gauge is not exactly the same so I just started something for Ophelia when she’ll be 18 months. :-) We’ll see how it works out. I really need to buy yarn that’s specifically for a pattern instead of going “ooh looks cute, I’ll just buy it and find something I can make with it.” I’m not advanced yet so unable to do that. :-) One day... one day.

Oh my husband doesn’t mind me knitting—he’s actually a bit in awe of it—but HATES lacemaking. He calls’em klip klop bitches. :-)

Yes! Japan! My mum even met Hirose, the Japanese Knitting King. They *vaguely* know eachother. How fucking cool is that? Very, I think. :-)

I really am tempted to go buy some Lana Grossa yarn. Must. Resist. Unless I get loads of cash from mes parents. Then I’ll NEED to buy some. I wanna make that sweater for my mum. Hmmmm.

maybe we should do a stash swap and I could offer some of my leftover lana grossa to nath to play with.

:-) I have tons of that sock yarn. Heck, you can have a couple for free if you like! You don’t even need to send me anything in return except some experience and karma. :-)

I would be happy to trade some. I’ll try to take a picture of current drawer-languishing yarns in the next couple of days and post it.

Ah heck, just send me your postal address! I’ll chuck in some yarn and you can do whatever you like (once you get the package). How many skeins (or whatever you call’em balls?) do you need of that sock yarn (it’s the one I used for that first dresss I made for Ophelia).

email address: stevienixed @ gmail dot com

This site is a miracle of the interweb. I’d been trying to work out how to do a bar increase for days. This is just like having a gran to show you!

http://www.knittinghelp.com/

nath, I will mail you. I only have 2 balls of lana grossa but maybe I’ll throw in some debbie bliss for good measure.

Well, you’ll HAVE to wait until you get my package and then you can send me whatever you like. :-)

How’s everyone holding up out there?

I’m finally back home after traveling to see relatives all week, ugh. I’m straightening up the knit/sew room since xmas has left it a mess. I’m also making room for new sewing furniture and new CAT! woohoo.

Only one up till midnight evening of crafting and I got all of my gift projects done. Here’s the tally:

Sewn:

2 fleece throws

6 pairs of pajama pants

Knit:

2 scarves

3 purses

4 hats

*cue Rocky theme*

pictures forthcoming when I put new batteries in my camera.

back to stash sorting.

Still awaiting yr address! :-) Do you prefer multiple skeins (or whatever you call’em in the US) or single (and thus more) ones?

Oh sorry: WOOHOO on new cat! :-)))) How old/young is s/he? NEED PICS of purring kitty. :-D

Me? I’m doing this lacy type shawl (straight, yarn is for 4 mm needles but doing it with 9 mm ones so it looks lacy). Visited another yarn shop which was a MAJOR dud. :-(

I’m doing this raglan cardigan. Probably finish it in a week or so. I do need to start using yarn that’s meant for the pattern instead of trying something that *sort of* matches. I’m not that advanced yet and won’t be for another DECADE or so. :-)

I’m fascinated with those knitting machines (for kids, but aren’t we all). Looked for one but only found french ones which seemed @$$. I want something that goes faster yo. :-)

Bought a Marie Claire Knitting Stitches book (just under 10 euros) and tried some last night only to discover/have reaffirmed: I’m stupid (figured out that multiples of 7 + 1 + 2 means mult of only 7) and that I have all thise nice MULTIcoloured yarn that doesn’t work when you want to do *fancy sts*.

I’m SO READY for that Lana Grossa sweatah. I wanna make something for me me me. :-)

Also trying to finish scarf for husband but I ph34r working on order is not my thang, baby.

I emailed you a few min. ago, Nath. Send whatever you want, I’m putting some things aside for you.

you are all over cardigans/sweaters. I need to attempt another big project like that soon. starting on my malcolm x tote now, v. excited.

I really don’t understand knitting machines.

no kitty yet, we’re going to get him/her next weekend. I’m just arranging my room for new litterbox, condos, etc. I threw all of qtip’s old stuff away.

my xmas crafts:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/misery/tags/xmas/

Sam, so industrious are you! Your xmas gifts (including pajama pants!) look GREAT!

While trying to avoid my family, I knit a bunch of dish cloths to give to people, one including my 84 year old grandma. She loved it!

A while back, I knit one of the ball band dishcloths for some friends, and they have yet to use it. They said it’s too pretty to be used. While that’s flattering, I kept thinking, “dudes, you will not understand its full potential until you experience its cleaning glory!” Oh well.

This is crochet but hey, I want to get in on the season of gifts as well...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61998082@N00/336485887/

that is completely wonderful!

I want to do another one but with another animal—I can’t help it, those sock monkeys are STILL SCARY LITTLE BUGGERS.

granny square + scary sock monkey = best blanket one could hope for.

goldfish would be neat!

starry, that blanket is awesome. especially the monkey faces.

boy gave me a stack of various knitting/sewing books for xmas and said “I don’t think one of those is what you do. I wasn’t sure.” It was a crochet book but still welcome.

He also gave me a $100 gift certificate to the LYS which I used to buy an assload of Cascade 220 for my felted Malcom X tote. hurrah!

so sweet! awesome present!

Oh jesus guys, I just got thee stitch ’n’ bitch book & knitty supplies for the xmas. And I would love to knit but I am TERRIFIED I will suck ass at it! You have no idea how terrified I am. I’ve always had developmental problems re: corrdination and it’s kind of stuck with me, the FEAR has. It took me five years to get the manual dexterity to TYPE decently. I have no manual dexterity at all! I am seriously far more nervous about this than public speech or any usual bugbear.

Someone plz tell me that if I suck and it takes 3 years to figure out, that I am not a Bad Person.

Abbott, knitting will increase one’s coordination skills, if anything! Ok, I’m not entirely sure about that, but it sounded nice. Don’t even worry about it! I taught my mom how to knit at that woman has TERRIBLE manual dexterity skillz. The Stitch’n’Bitch books (mainly the 1st one) give GREAT instructions which are really easy to follow (for the most part). As long as you keep at it, it’ll get easier. Learning to knit can be a bit frustrating (“why are my stitches so tight?” or “Why do I keep gaining stitches!?”). It’s totally normal. “Practice makes perfect” really does apply here, so if your first attempts are nightmare-ish, that’s completely normal.

practice will improve you abbott, don’t give up. When I started I often threw my needles across the room b/c I just couldn’t get the hang of holding them. you can learn it.

Abbott, I thought just like you but then my husband said: why bother worrying and getting headaches, this is a HOBBY! if you don’t like it, QUIT or start enjoying it.

trust me, it’s so much fun! you can advance as much as you like. if you prefer to knit shawls until the next century, do so. or try this:

i just started knitting *properly* in july or something. :-)

I finished the scarf in time to give it to Stet for Christmas, and he actually wears it! I’ve begun this scarf three times and keep having to unravel it because I keep lose my place. Should I just fudge it the next time it happens and just carry on? I’m getting fed up.

are you using a row counter? I have to when i use complicated patterns.

No, but I remember OK which row I’m on. It’s all the k3 ssk yo k5 [yo k1] 5 times stuff that I get lost in and the chart isn’t helping. I’m thinking about making my own little chart that’ll make more sense and keep me in the right place, but if I have to try and unpick anything I might as well unravel to the bottom and start again, it’s so confusing. Ah well, I’ll get there, with perseverence and faith!

ok, that post sounded so arrogant, like i was bragging. abbott, i just wanted to say: knitting is fun! :-)

i have always been and continue to be completely unco but i’m quite good at knitting. so i don’t think the two things rely upon each other.

stitch markers help with doing lacework or any sort of repeating patterns

Ah, that’s an idea I could try. Thanks!

i’ve never used stitch markers actually. i’ve wondered vaguely exactly how they work a few times... do they just stay on the needle to help you with the next row, or do they stay in the actual fabric and you pull them out later? i’ve never even looked at them even, can’t picture what they look like.

I think knitting ones stay on the needles, but crochet ones are more like hooks so you can slip them on and off the yarn.

you can get solid rings, or ones that can open and close, so you can put them in the yarn (or you could use safety pins.)

they’re also good if you have to cast on 200 stitches and don’t want to have to recount 5 million times.

mine are shit: they always fall off. :-(

wow i never thought of the casting on thing though it seems dead obvious now you say it. i DO recount 5 million times as a rule. which is naturally extremely frustrating.

I like any excuse to buy more knitting accessories, really, especially Clover’s. they are so cute.

I just registered at elann.com, oh dear.

I’ve gotten to where I just use bits of yarn for stitch counters. I tie on a bit of different yarn and then just slip it as I knit. Other stitch counters always seemed to jump or fall off in transit.

Lucy! The thing you need for lace is LIFELINES! Stick one in after each repeat and if you go wrong you only need to go back to the last place you’re “safe”—here’s a guide. Ripping back all of it = big bottom pain!

Have never really successfully worked with stitch markers either, they always end up falling off. Whilst I was finishing the clapotis which admittedly is fairly straightforward, I just purled the stitches where the pattern calls for you to add stitch markers but this probably wouldn’t work so well in proper lace! I’d like to have a go at a lace thing too. I tried a lace pattern before but it was with regular dk weight with only 6mm needles so it only came out textured—should have gone really oversized but I have got un-used to those massive needles.

Speaking of massive needles I saw a jumper calling for 25mm needles—argh! However how fast must that knit up—cast on 30 sts to start :)

My friend made this cobweb shawl and it’s fab! It only used 2 balls of Kidsilk Haze and none of us could stop cuddling it. Although it DID take her two years so I’m not going to attempt it for my first lace project!

Oh dear god, yes, that shawl is LOVELY. I’m partial to the shaped tube one in the far left picture, though, just as an office/meeting-room sort of torso warmer.

This seems like the worst idea ever though! I can imagine the spillages and the ridicule from here...

Still wrapping up the end of xmas knitting due to the last minute addition of some cousins to the list! Pictures will be up as soon as I get the better of my new year death flu :( I’ve heard from the folks who did get their stuff that for the most part it worked. One hat that was too short and another that was too small are the only casualties of my ignorance (and the too small one was snatched up by my sister with much glee).

I’ve got plans to do some lace shawls for family, and right now I’ve got a skein of that sari silk stuff that I’ve matched up with a part silk part merino yarn and am knitting them at a huge gauge. It lets the random ends of the silk really blossom and be soft, plus the thing is still warm.

Learning to cable is next on the list.

I’ve used little rubbery stitch markers from Clover and they have functioned very well—no matter what I’ve been making, either the bright green or bright purple stands out well enough.

Sam, perhaps we can start getting together next week? As far as I know Zoe is still in. Would Maureen like to continue?

I would like to get together too. haven’t talked to mo in awhile but I can check with her.

sorry for the death flu! I’m still struggling with this death bronchitis I’ve had ever since Stitch! ugh. . .

Miss Starry, *you* have been my lifeline today! That is a super tip, thanks! If you want a go at a lace thing, I do recommend Branching Out from Knitty because it’s super easy, as long as you can remember where you are at. I’m using Kidsilk (not Haze, the one with the little sparkles — or is that Haze?) instead of the one recommended in the pattern and it’s a perfect switch. I’ll begin again tomorrow.

I bought two books online yesterday in a rush of compulsiveness: Knitting with Balls (could I get boy to knit? prolly not but maybe he can pick out something nice) and Naughty Needles.

the latter was written by a girl whom I replaced at a previous job. Had no idea she knitted. am envious. I want to write a book. :(

I want to check out Naughty Needles. I think it looks funny, but apparently there are knitting people out there who hate fun.

I bouight some Lana Grossa yarn. I wanna knit that sweatah BADLY. But started—last night after going out with my cousin—on that charm bag which is featured in that Stitch’n’Bitch book. It’s a completely different (sort of yucky looking) yarn. But hey I bght in a sale and figured I might as well use it. :-D

xpost: I’ll send you that yarn THIS WEEK. Promise! :-)

:)

what sweater are you working on?

Just one hat left for the massive xmas knitfest! I’ve got a bunch of sock yarn on its way to me, plus enough for two sweaters. With any luck I can finish the hat tonight.

Finishing that cardigan up above, I needed to buy some more yarn for the borders. And will start that Lana Grossa sweater next week.

In charcoal grey colour. HURRAH!

Still need to finish hubby’s shawl though. :-D Will do once I quit having migraines. Gawd headaches are a f*cking b*tch. :-(

I want to do this:

http://www.needleartsmentoring.org/guide/start.html

Has anyone set up and Etsy account? All of the sudden (like, within the past 3 minutes) I’ve entertained the idea of selling stuff, i.e. dishcloths, mittens, etc. Would anyone buy my stuff? Or is the internet crafty market saturated with People Just Like Me?

I’m still obsessed with knitting but I haven’t done so much. Maybe because of my holiday, during which I only knitted a few rows? Yesterday I did manage to do some work on my lacy shawl.

I also bought a ton of pattern magazines (Lana Grossa) and fell in love with a gazillion things I want to knit. And I also bought that pattern book which seemed too difficult for me at first, but now I understand it and I think it’ll be GREBT when I want to knit something simple (and maybe, in the future, sth with a fancy stitch).

I also cleared some records in a cupboard so I can have my collection of books and mags in one place. HURRAH.

Bought some jumbo sized crochet hook (?) and want to crochet a blanket. But I don’t know how to *turn* in crochet. Bummer.

The lesson was EXTREMELY hard this week. We have to do a V-collar with dpns. Urgh! I think I messed it up. :-) I found out that the one who’s most crap at knitting is a bit... I don’t know how to say this... I think I overheard saying she lives in a community (for people with slight mental disabilities). :-( She doesn’t really follow the difficult parts anymore, the teacher just guides her a bit doing her sweater.

My husband bought me this book for v-day

http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/0600609243.02._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

so now I need to learn to knit! I have a book from the library, and that knittinghelp site looks useful but what equipment do I need? What are the best needles to start with? Maybe I should start with a scarf rather than an elaborate child’s jumper?

I think a scarf is the easiest project you can begin with, but I quickly got bored with it and I had also enrolled in a rather demanding course which demanded I knit a sweater! (If I had known, I would have thought twice about enrolling.) I think what helped me was doing *small* projects, like doing a combination of knit’n’purl to learn following a pattern (and create a heart) and doing a mini-sized triangle shaped shawl so that I learned how to knit together...

What equipment? Hmm, yarn, needles (I prefer bamboo or plastic), a sewing needle (if you cant to do a sweater), scissors, something to measure,... I would also suggest some notebook so you can write down your progress. I should follow my own advice, cause I’m quite lax when it comes to writing everything down. :-(

Do they have the Stitch’n’Bitch book from Debbie Stoller in yr library? If so GET THAT ONE PRONTO! It’s ACE! Debbie Bliss also does good (beginner) books for baby garments. There’s also the Vogue KNitting book which is great but will come more in handy as reference (once you’re a bit more experienced IMO!).

YAY, a new knitter! :-)

DEF do a scarf first. I would recommend getting some thick, bulky yarn and starting with needles 8.0mm or higher (when you buy the yarn the label should suggest a good needle size. For beginning projects, bigger is better.)

yay knitting talk!

Let me know what you decide about Etsy Molly. I’m curious too. I like looking but have never bought anything, more inspiration really. Does anyone besides other crafters know about it?

Here’s my latest knitting (and crocheting and sewing) pic posts. Finishing a second pair of mittens before I post them: http://www.flickr.com/photos/misery/

I went to the charity shop at lunch and got three pairs of needles (only slightly bent...) and a ball of wool for £4 so I am on my way! A notebook is a good idea too, thanks.

I don’t think my yarn is very bulky so maybe I had better just do a small scarf—or a belt!

you can double the yarn to make it bulkier (use two strands at once.) The only reason I suggested bulky is b/c A. it knits quicker B. it’s easier to see your stitches c. using big needles when you start is kind of like using big pencils in kindergarten—it’s just easier for your muscles to learn. what type (material) of needles?

Four quid? Wow! I should have mentioned: buy acrylic, cheap and easy to knit. They cost about 1 euro (so about 70 p?) for a ball? Oh shit, you mean needles AND yarn? Good deal, I think. :-) Never mind if’s slightly bent. I suppose they are metal, or am I wrong?

If you’re keen to do more difficult things, I would suggest doing swatches first. THat’s what I did. I wanted to try cable, so I only did a swatch and started something else after that.

If you REALLY are serious or want to progress quicker, look out in yarn shops for one day courses.

Oh good, my wool is acrylic. I don’t much like the feel of it but that’s OK if it’s easier to knit. My needles are metal, v old-fashioned ones, but I think maybe I should have got a thicker pair to start me off. I need to find a better knitting shop—this one just had a vase of old needles in random sizes so I don’t think they’ll offer courses. I’ll see how I get on this weekend.

(Oh dear, I think I must be old; I am excited about going home on a Friday night to knit!)

are you kidding that’s my every night!

In my experience metal needles have been very hard to knit with. they’re inflexible and hurt your hands and the stitches slide off easier. The first pair I ever tried to knit with were metal size 8s and it was a disaster. I am not saying this to discourage you as you may not find getting started hard at all (I fully accept that I may be “special”). But I just want to encourage you that if you find it hard going at first, it could get easier with different needles. (and practice)

have fun!

That’s my Friday night too!

Liz, I second Sam and Nath with getting big yarn. I’ve taught people in the past who’ve started off with 2 strands together, and they got confused really quickly. If you can find a big fat yarn, that takes 10 1/2 (US), for example that might be easy.

And Stitch’n’Bitch is a SUPER book to have if you’re learning. It explains things so clearly. I’ve been knitting for about 4 years, and I still reference it all the time. It’s a good purchase.

Don’t get discourage if your first scarf comes out terribly! It’s a learning experience. I still have the first thing I knit and I used it as a potholder. It was supposed to be a scarf.

re: Etsy — I don’t know what I was thinking. My friend (whom I’ve known since I was 4) is having a baby girl, so I need to get knitting things for her ASAP. I’ve been pokey. And that’s a good point, Sam: does anyone who’s not crafty know about it? I kinda doubt it.

I’m knitting a bib from the Mason Dixon book for someone in Mr. Pike’s office who recently had a baby. It’s turning out really well!

I’d recommend doing lots of practice swatches, unravelling them and starting again while you learn stitches, increases, decreases etc. Don’t start on an actual garment you want to wear until you’re happy you’re not going to cock up. The good thing about practice swatches is it doesn’t really matter about the needle size or yarn weight.

Oh good, my wool is acrylic. I don’t much like the feel of it but that’s OK if it’s easier to knit.

I wanted to mention not doing the two threads simultaneously, it can be somewhat hard in the beginning to do this. I’m actually doing this for a cardigan I’m making and it’s going pretty well, but I doubt I could have done this way back in July when I started knitting again. :-)

In regard to the acrylic, there’s different types. I bought some at Wibra (cheapass store) and I could heard the yarn crackle’n’pop when I knitted. Awful! But I bought some other acrylic in Veritas that was slightly more expensive but still dirt cheap and it was AWESOME. You can tell after a while which yarn will work and which won’t. (Well, for me that only works when it’s acrylic, other types I’m not used to YET).

I can more or less knit while watching telly now! ONly for stockinette (?), no fancy stitches (yet). HURRAH!

OTN: cardigan for Ophelia

cardigan pour moi

sweater pour moi

bag pour moi (i’m so selfish)

lacy shawl for mummy (if she wants it)

I bought some pattern books and fell in love with a gazillion items.

I want to knit better. harumph!

Hey Lucy, I finished that scarf—have you finished yours? I blocked it out the other day but it didn’t go very well as I could only find a couple of pins. Also—so much colour came out whilst it was soaking! I was really q. shocked! I am going to get more pins and try and block it out PROPERLY again today. By which time it will probably turn back to white!

Oh crap, just checked and that pattern book I bought will be hellahard: In Japanese the graphical charts are different. They are read left to right and also they start with a cast on row. ARGH! I’ll probably swatch to check if I can read’em correctly and/or ask my Japanese friend (who loves to knit as well).

I hadn’t touched it for about a fortnight, S, but did another 10 rows this morning. I have half a ball of wool left, so the end is in sight. Won’t be long now...

Why Stet I did not know you were one of us :)

I was going to go and get more blocking pins today but I appear to have stayed in watching season 2 of Popular instead...

I am happy to report the scarf for my mother is almost done. Her birthday was in November. Also, my first bib is almost done, so I’ll have pictures of that soon, if I can locate my digital camera.

I love the Lion Brand newsletter. New stitches every week!

http://cache.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/faq-search.cgi?store=/stores/eyarn&faqKey=278

After making a few scarves, a hat, and a baby blanket for other people, I’m finally ready to make something for myself. I’ve been looking for a shrug pattern that’s simple and fitted, not flowy or ruffly or flared or otherwise overly girly. Here’s one I haven’t ruled out yet.

http://www.knitnet.com/sampler/current/page5.htm

I like the way this sweater looks from the front, but it really bugs me that they don’t show the back. Since it’s tied around the waist, it could look like a lumpy mess. Thoughts?

there’s a gorgeous shrug pattern for silk yarn in the erika knight ‘classic’ book

I love all the new knitters dropping in on the thread. (unless you just have different log-ins)

i have occasionally dropped in on your thread on normal ilx too. i always read it, just don’t post that much.

Buttonholes! Anyone have any tips? Mine turned out miserably at first, but I managed to salvage it with a crochet hook while I was tying in ends.

I think it helps if you sew (?) around’em.

I’m knitting *blind*. I did frog it as the stockinette didn’t work on the scarf: it curled up! So I’m knitting to and fro BLIND! I watched six episodes of 24 this way (on DVD). HURRAH!

I found some wool on sale in a shop which was closing down over the weekend, and bought half a dozen balls of big chunky yarn (with the same shade code on it, too!) in a lovely burnt orange colour for just £1 the lot! I used some big needles, and knitted up a scarf for myself while watching Lewis on tv last night.

I’m getting really hooked on knitting now. My daughters have asked me to knit some clothes for their Barbie dolls, and I’ve found some free doll’s clothes knitting patterns online which I might have a bash at next week :)

Why Stet I did not know you were one of us :)

Haha, whoops. WHY O WHY did I not use his supermodpowers for eevil deeds when I had the chance?

xpost I love to knit *blind*. THis way I can cut down on my yarn—I have too many 4 skeins of the same yarn—and practice AND watch 24.

I’m fascinated by lace knitting!

I finished my second pair of mittens this weekend (looks much better than the first as usual) pictures tonight. Alas spring looks like it might be here to stay though. I’m gifting them to my therapist and she might just have to put them away for next year.

I also sewed a teddybear for my aunt which was awesome fun. I think, much like knitting, I prefer sewing things rather than garments. Perhaps this is because I’m not really into clothes. I should try to sew myself a hoodie and see how that goes.

I loathe knitting buttonholes and therefore suck at it.

I finished my second pair of mittens this weekend (looks much better than the first as usual) pictures tonight. Alas spring looks like it might be here to stay though. I’m gifting them to my therapist and she might just have to put them away for next year.

I also sewed a teddybear for my aunt which was awesome fun. I think, much like knitting, I prefer sewing “things” rather than garments. Perhaps this is because I’m not really into clothes. I should try to sew myself a hoodie and see how that goes.

I loathe knitting buttonholes and therefore suck at it.

i sent yr package!

hooray! I look forward to getting knitting supplies from across the seas.

i had to put a value on it. hopefully they won’t tax you for it. i only put 10 euros on it. :-)

ooh, help help help!

I do quite a bit of card-making (I’ve got one of those sizzix die-cutting machines and everything!) and I’ve just bought these from ebay :

They were really inexpensive—but I’d like to be able to knit card embellishments for baby cards like this myself. Being a total newbie to the knitting world, I’d need a pattern ...... i’ve tried searching on google to find something, but have failed. Does anyone know where I might find free patterns for knitting tiddly little things like this, to go on greetings cards??

Help/advice appreciated! Thanks :)

have you looked at this site:

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory.php

Wow, there are some great things on that site!

I need something tiny though, which is knitted on cocktail sticks. I can’t find anything on that site, but thanks for the link! I’ve seen several things there I’d like to try.

yeah it’s a good first start. I know I’ve stuff like you describe (gift embellishments) but can’t remember where?

some (now useless) mitt-ens!

Starry, I was just looking around your flickr at your knitting. . .do you still want squares for your blanket?

Cute mittens! I was going to knit Ben a scarf, but we both realized that’s it’s too late in the season. 60 degree weather is not conducive to scarves.

high today in austin, 81. :( This is all that kept me from wringing the dog’s neck for destroying one of my mittens.

Well, you can always knit lightweight lacey scarves with various novelty yarns, but I don’t know how well they’d work on boys.