Seems like it’s about time for the Doper Knitters to share their projects!
I’ve just finished a beautiful hazel-green sweater (matches my eyes!) in light worsted wool that I purchased at the Farmer’s Market. I did the seamless saddle-shouldered sweater from Knitting Without Tears, and I think it’s pretty darn snazzy.
I’m cranking out a couple pairs of socks as an interim thing while I figure out what to do next. Wendy’s Toe-up Sock is my favorite sock pattern because it’s so elegant—not in the fashion sense (though it mkes a prefectly handsome sock), but in the mathematical/scientific sense of it being a very simple pattern that produces a pleasing result. The toe and heel are shaped, identically, using short rows, which are easy-peasy once you get the hang of them. And working toe-up rocks because you can divide your yarn into two balls of equal weight (or buy two balls) and then for each sock, just keep knitting until the sock is as long as you want it, or you run out of yarn. Running out of yarn in a top-down sock is considerably more traumatic! I’m using Froehlich Blauband 7443 as the main color and some Lanett orange for the heel and toe, which is a great contrast to the blue and really makes the orange detail pop. I’m still toying with ideas for the second pair. I think I want to do some cables or an argyle pattern or something.
I have a friend who wants me to knit him a wool sweater, and I’m eager to jump in to that, but we’re still negotiating over the yarn because he suddenly got sticker shock. sigh I’m hoping I can find some merino on sale somewhere.
So what’s in your knitting tote or basket or in a heap on your couch?
I’m sort of on a knitting hiatus because I didn’t have time to pack up my knitting stuff before I left for school and before that, my cat decided the knitting basket was his and starting sleeping in it. The only craft stuff I have is the calligraphy set I got at Bristol Faire this year, and that’s a lot more messy and not nearly as tactile. I am a crafter without a craft.
The next planned project is the Better Than Booties Baby Socks (warning: PDF) from the Summer 05 Interweave Knits. A good friend of mine is pregnant and due in February, so that ought to give me time to crank out the Ruffle Rib, Cable Rib, and Hugs & Kisses socks. If I have time, I might see if I can’t muster the funds to knit her a sweater, since moms need loving too.
Podkayne, you should check out Elann for yarn. Their collection of yarns is pretty nice. And I hear good things about Knitpicks, who have just released their fall line.
I’m a beginner, so the only thing I have knitted previous to now is scarfs. I have to coordination down, but am still intimidated by funny shapes, so I decided to stick with that smae easy shape and do a blanket. I really hate working with the 60" needle/rope thing, although it is fun to play with the stitches to make new patterns.
I’ve got three projects going.
[ul][li]Knitted cuffs/pulse warmers for my best friend for Christmas. I’ve finished the first one and am now working on the second. I found the pattern in Interweave Knits and it includes two things I’ve never done before – knitting buttonholes, which has turned out to be easy, and – gasp! – stiching(sp?), aka cutting the work you’ve just spent weeks knitting and praying it doesn’t unravel. I haven’t had the heart or the time and concentration required to cut the first one yet. I’ll let you know when I do, if you’re interested.[/li][li]A decadent-looking chenille pillow as a wedding present for friends. I found the pattern in Vogue’s pillow book. I’m afraid, though, I don’t like working with chenille – it’s too hard on the fingers for me. The pillow, however, looks and feels wonderful so far![/li][li]A butterfly kimono from a book called America’s Knitting, I think. I won it at a raffle several years ago and it’s got my creative juices flowing. This one is a pattern I fell in love with, and it’s purely for me. It’s a sort of cardigan in a distinctive shape covered in leaves which are knit using intarsia. The background color in the pattern as shown, a sort of Aran ivory color, doesn’t do much for me, so I’ve changed it to black and had fun picking out brilliant colors in Lion’s Wool-ease, including red, burgundy, bright blue and purple, and even gold, a color I don’t wear much of, but it will suit. It looks like the perfect thing to wrap up in on a cold winter night, or even a cool autumn day.[/ul][/li]
By the way, I noticed something while I was buying yarn for the cuffs and the kimono. Am I the only one who’s had trouble finding ordinary sport weight and worsted weight yarns? I’m not into novelty or eyelash yarns; I prefer letting the texture and color of the pattern come through. For the cuffs, I wound up using some of my yarn stash because I couldn’t find the color and weight I wanted in Michael’s or JoAnn Fabrics. The hours the two nearest knitting shops keep don’t suit my schedule that well, and the owner of one doesn’t think I spend enough. I also couldn’t find American size 4 circular needles at Michael’s last night. The smallest they had in circular needles was size 6. I also couldn’t find yarn bobbins at Michael’s or Joann Fabrics. I’m glad knitting’s becoming popular, but as an old hand, I wish they’d continue to stock what for me are basics.
I’m still working on the Charlotte’s Web shawl for my mom. It’s slow going, though, both because I messed up and had to frog back to the beginning (which did teach me to use lifelines on the reknit…) and also because I’m addicted to World of Warcraft and only knit when I’m stuck in the car (and not driving) for more than 15 minutes at a time.
There’s the Alien Illusion Scarf from SNB for a friend to give to a friend.
There’s the Mystery Design Project I’m working on for me.
Then there are the projects I have in mind but haven’t started yet: A Tropical Fish Illusion Scarf for my sister, some felted slippers for my mother, a garish felted fisherman’s hat for my father…
Mostly, what I’m working on shows up on my knitting blog, which is in my profile.
Yeah, Seige, I’ve noticed that, too! We have a Jo-Anne’s, a Michaels and an AC Moore, but more and more often I end up going to the specialty yarn store downtown, or ordering online. (Yes, we have four places to buy yarn in town. Yes, I realize that this is a ridiculous bounty and I have no grounds to complain.) I want some black worsted-weight wool to make a sweater. That should not be a ridiculous thing to expect to find in the yarn section. But yet, while they have eyelash yarn in every imaginable, nasty, chemical-spill-lookin’ shade, and a majillian stupid poofy bobbly things, their worsted wool selection comes down to exactly four colors of Wool-Ease. Like, Mushroom, Hunter, Cranberry, and something called “Blush.” WTF?
And forget trying to find a pattern or pattern book for anything but scarves, shawls, or ponchos.
Novice knitters of America, please listen up! grettle, this means you! YOU CAN DO SLEEVES. Really. There is nothing strange or mysterious about them. They do not require arcane, mystical powers to execute. I promise you that YOU CAN KNIT THINGS THAT ARE NOT FLAT! I BELIEVE IN YOU! Now, please start spending your money accordingly!
SisterCoyote, I was browsing your blog . . . Thanks for the link to the Lion pattern for Pocket Pets! I have some of the aforementioned chemical-spill eyelash yarn leftoever from some Christmas projects. I am totally going to have to make a flourescent skunk!
What don’t I have going. I have half of a Lara sweater from last winter, which I should pick up and finish… just finished the little silk bolero from the Spring/Summer 05 Vogue Knitting… I am ALWAYS knitting socks (should I do a pair with Cherry Tree Hill or with Lorna’s Laces next?)… a big pile of heathered Elann wool to make Brambly Hedge-esque mufflers… and two batches of Noro yarn, one Silk Garden and one Kureyon. Both batches are big enough for sweaters. I think I will make an Hourglass sweater (from Last Minute Knitted Gifts) with one of the two batches.
Ohhh… and enough Cashsoft to make the “hanukkah” sweater from Classic Cafe. Oooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhh…
I have some that I bought - god knows why - six months ago, that I’m going to turn into a little fox for my mother for Christmas. It’s even in the right colors!
Sattua, I think your yarn list just made me drool a little. Mmm, Silk Garden. Oooh, Cashsoft. (Go with the Cherry Tree Hill, btw.)
I have yarn withdrawal now.
Podkayne, try Herrschners, too. They’re not quite as cheap as the other sites, but they have “name brand” yarns (like Lana Grossa and Paton’s) on super-sale sometimes.
I second the sleeves thing. Some sweater patterns aren’t much more than glorified rectangles of different sizes seamed together. And lace? Not so scary. Just patience, yo’s, and k2tog’s.
jayjay, what did you think of the man issue of Knitty? I didn’t think it was so hot. Saranac, Lucky, and Baseball were neat, but I think I’d make Baseball with matching sleeves. The little boy’s cargo pants were adorable. As was the model for the Cigar gloves.
Right, now, I’m trying to just get finished with a sweater from a very old Knitters mag ( A lot of cables and ribbing) in some very old KFI Cashmerino. It’s just taking longer than I wanted it to (I’ve not worked on anything with this small a gauge in a while. And it started interesting, and now I’m getting bored. And I’m still not near where it will start to get good again. And right now, I’m caught in this hideous ball that’s had not one, but three knots in it already - not to mention bad spins that couldn’t be knit in, but needed to be cut out. I wouldn’t use it, but I either can’t find some of the yarn I bought, or I dreadfully miscounted when I was buying, and I’m barely going to be able to finish this sweater as it is. Plus, the yarn’s been discontinued - long ago, so no getting any more.
I’m kind of working on one of the sweaters from Spring’s Vogue (it has 3/4 sleeves and a faux fur collar) with my sister. But we’re at a bit of a stall on that one. Hopefully, we’ll get started up again this week. It’s her first sweater. Mine is going well, if stalled. I’ll see hers in October.
I have a pattern that I’m trying to find yarn for (linen stitch V-neck jacket. Originally done in Dune - but I don’t like any of the Dune colors). And I haven’t found anything I like.
I saw “Wedding Crashers” and the love interest was wearing this thing that looked like a basic sweater pattern I have (hooded sweatshirt with front pocket), but done on sport weight yarn with huge needles. I want that sweater. It may be next.
The new knitty is out. None of it does anything for me. That’s probably good.
Thank goodness, there are yarn shops (actual yarn shops, not fabric/craft stores with a yarn section or stores that carry some yarn) and plenty of them in my area (7 within a 10 minute drive from my home. 3 within 5 minutes. With parking. I’m blessed). With decent hours. Though they are carrying slightly more novelty/eyelash stuff than I can see any use for, they’ve all got yarn. I feel for you, though I don’t have to worry about that quite yet.
Meh. I guess it’s okay as an attempt to have SOME pieces that aren’t designed for 15-year-old girls, but honestly…did it have to be pieces designed for 20-year-old postmodernist irony addicts? I’m 34 years old. I’m going to wear Pinky or Kumo or Hardcore about as often as I’d wear any of the frilly fluorescent frufru Knitty usually has. I do like a few of the designs, and the baby cargo pants are cute. And I agree with you about the bearish model for Cigar. Woof! But otherwise it’s actually less interesting to me than the usual Knitty fare.
That’s too bad, jayjay. I had high hopes for it – finally something I could knit my brothers for Christmas that didn’t involve stripes. Seeing as they’re definitely not postmodernists, I guess it’s Super Mario intarsia scarves this year. Overall it really was very meh. Which has come to be standard for Knitty*. But at least there was the Cigar model.
*Except you, of course, chattywine. Have I told you how much I like your mancala set?
CJ, have you been to Knit.1 in Squirrel Hill yet? Their grand opening is on Saturday but they’re open now, so I took a look inside. The selection is really great; more 100% wool than I care for but some nice blends too. Not too much eyelash (I don’t like that stuff either). They also have a big lounge area with lots of magazines you can just look at. They have at least twice as big a selection as the other yarn store in Squirrel Hill. You should check out the opening if you’re free.
< /pittsburgh-specific >
Right now I’m making the Alien Illusion scarf from SnB for me, which I hope to have done in time to wear to the Columbus sci-fi convention in early October. I’m also debating whether to make the Noro armwarmers (only not in Noro, cuz I can’t tolerate wool) from SnBN or the Cigar gloves (since I’ve started smoking again, they’d be practical) from the last Knitty issue for my winter gloves; I like Cigar, but they’re sized for men so they might be too big for me, and I have really long fingers so the shaping might be off. I’m also going to make the Kittyville hat from SnB for my sister for Xmas. And I have a third-finished Skully (also from SnB) sweater that I haven’t touched in weeks because the knitting got boring. I’ll finish it sometime. (Wow, half the stuff I’ve made/am making is from that book and I don’t even own a copy! Have to rectify that.)
Anyone looking for a bunch of different needle sizes should just pick up a Denise interchangeable set and be done with it. It’s expensive at fifty bucks, but worth it, especially if you like knitting on circulars, even when knitting flat pieces (I do). I gave up buying needles at Michael’s et al when I realized they only carry 29" circs, and all the hat patterns I wanted to make called for 16". They are also totally bereft of sock yarn. Lion Wool-Ease is still my favorite type of yarn, though, and they have tons of that.
I can testify that they make good on their replacement policy. I managed to break the connecty end-bit off of one of the cables before I’d gotten the trick of easing stitches over the connectors. I sent in the broken cable, and they replaced it promptly.
I dunno that I would recommend them wholeheartedly. I have crazy loose gauge, so I ended up on the smallest needles (size 5) for the two sweaters I’ve made with them. One of the Size 5 needles is getting a little loose in the connection area; the cable will pop out unexpectedly, which is Not Cool.
But one of the sweaters was worked top-down, and one bottom-up, and being able to switch cables quickly and easily as the number of stitches increased and decreased was definitely Very Cool.
I use Denise needles for my straight and circular needle needs, and love them.
Mostly I’m just knitting woolen items (hats, booties, mittens) for babies and little kids, and donating them to afghans for Afghans. At some point I should get off my butt and get working on partially fingerless gloves for my husband, who’s a letter carrier for the USPS and would love to have a couple of fingers free to flip through mail more easily.
I am a crafter without a craft.
