Colorful!

A few months ago I made a swatch in KnitPicks' cotton/linen blend Cotlin (very original name, methinks). I recently started using the swatch as a washcloth, and fell in love with the whole idea, so I used the rest of the skein for a bigger washcloth:



I know, I know, a bit disappointing after the miles of lace or colorwork you expect on this blog. It's colorful though, and practical, and the construction is quite clever. Also, it will help geeyouknit graduate, as this will be part of her Knitter Project.

Ummm...

One thing about shawls knit sideways is that you cannot exactly see how long they are. There's just a mess of stitches on the needle, obviously scrunched up, and you just happily knit for a few months or so. And then you bind off, and even the dog is surprised with the result:



The Sampler Shawl is big, and I haven't even blocked it yet. I don't even know where I will block it.

Excitement on small needles

Here are the two projects on small needles that I started last week, in the hope that having more things on the needles will somehow make the knitting go faster:



Austrian-patterned knee socks - will take forever



Swedish Heart Warmer Shawl - will be huge

Since casting on, I've had an adventure trip to New Haven; met Sunflowerfairy (hi!!) and her group of friendly knitters, who told me all about New Haven and crazy neighbors. I stayed in the second plushest hotel I've ever been in (it's hard to beat the Pasadena Ritz, but the Omni at Yale was quite nice, and I think the room was bigger than my bedroom at home), I spent an exhausting day visiting one of the oldest educational institutions in the US (founded 1660!) and received a job offer from said institution. Turned down another job offer, did two other interviews (boring consulting company and interesting Microsoft ), agonized over my life choices (again), watched TV and spent an afternoon in bed.

It's snowing today, and it's slushy, and I had a great afternoon listening to NPR and working on the Jade sweater. I haven't blogged much about Jade - it's a fairly straightforward sweater with lace sleeves and nice waist shaping. I love Elsebeth Lavold's designs and her yarns, and this sweater is a classic Lavold: clean lines and a few genius patterning details. I fussed with the construction: knitted the body in the round, shaped the shoulders with short rows and did a 3-needle bind-off. Details make a difference, and I think this will be a nice sweater. Sorry, no picture - it's already dark outside.

I'm bad, I'm bad

I am also old enough to remember the good old days when Michael Jackson was the superstar of pop and all the cool kids were trying to figure out how to dance to his music (we never did, though).

I am a bad blogger because I don't have any new pictures of my current knitting and now it's dark and tomorrow I leave on a 2-day trip.

I am a bad knitter because I cast on for TWO new projects without finishing any works in progress. I am a bad knitblogger because I am telling you this and not showing your pictures. You'll just have to come back later..

A picture a day

Here it is:



Brightest fugliest thing ever, or gorgeous piece of wearable art? (is there a difference?)

There are about a billion ends on the back of this piece, and I'm about to add a billion more.

And then it hit me...

I was sitting in the most comfortable papason in the house, churning away at the poetry mittens (they are almost finished! I love my life of leisure) when it hit me: I hate doing intarsia. I've done less than two rows of blocks on the Crosspatch vest and I already hate this project. So not only will it be the brightest object in the universe (and thus unwearable by the newly employed me) but I also hate the process.

The problem is, I've spend way too much money on this damn vest! If I could unravel it and return the yarns, I would; however, I've already chopped them up into little pieces for those stupid intarsia patches and I doubt the store will take back yarn in little pieces.

Together with the realization, though, came a most brilliant thought (if I may say so myself): I will do a deconstructed Kaffe Fassett Crosspatch. If the little lines give me trouble, then the lines have to go! Gradually, of course. Stay tuned as the massacre of this pattern continues.

Poetry Mitten 1

Have I mentioned that these mittens are are addictive? You can see progress, or rather READ progress:



I've already cast on for the second one, but the 2x2 ribbing on size 000 needles is a little... slow going.

Because one color project is not enough

One must have stranded knitting in one's life:



Poetry mittens from the current PieceWork magazine. I'm being unoriginal and knitting these in the original yarn, with the original poem. Awesome pattern, and extremely addictive.

In other (un)exciting news, the Spring IK arrived in my mailbox today and I am extremely disappointed by this issue. I am even thinking of canceling my subscription, because there is nothing in this issue I want to make and there was nothing in the Winter issue either. I admire Eunny's work as a designer, but I am very unimpressed with her editing choices. To do a quick run through the projects:
- Lisa Meyer's legwarmers: look great, probably best pattern in the magazine. I don't do twisted stitches, though.
- assorted spring cardigans and "camp jacket": why are they all in the same color family? And why do they all make the models look pregnant? I am so over the empire waist look, and if I see "dressmaker details" written one more time I am going to scream. If I want dressmaker details I will go to a dressmaker, or I will become one myself. Fussy little button tabs and attached button bands - so much fun to make.
- linen trumpet skirt: nice stuff, but the yarn substitution will be difficult, and I don't think I can afford a $300 skirt yet.
- children's dress: I actually checked if this came in my size, because I like the pattern. I'd probably get bored with all the stockinette in my size, though. It's nice to see cute children's patterns, though, especially if they are not for babies.
- banded peasant blouse: I like this, but how on earth does it stay up on the shoulders?
- dovetail pullover - nice and classic, but doesn't quite jump out at me.
- random lace stoles: I am not impressed either and have no desire to knit miles and miles of a small pattern (bleeding hearts) or a random assorted of extra-precious patterns (cobweb lace). I've always found M. Rose Orne's designs too pretentious and ornate for my taste.
- twisted tulip socks: for all I know, these might be the same pattern as the green cabled socks from last issue, because the cables were impossible to see on those. Ok, so they are socks with a cable and some eyelets. Big deal.
- the vest: I'll just shut up about this one. My boobs are obvious enough, thank you.
- staff projects: cute, but what's up with the delayed release dates?

So, yeah. What's up with this magazine? Am I getting too jaded? Have I seen too many patterns online and in books to be impressed with a magazine?

Kaffe-ing, day 1

From inspiration (beautiful flowers and jewellery on a black background):



To reality (many lengths of yarn to keep track of):



The Crosspatch Vest by Kaffe Fassett has begun. There are good changes that it will be the brightest object in the galaxy. I'll keep you posted.