I had no idea about this until winner Susan M. commented about it - the Fugly Friday contest was mentioned on the She-Knits podcast. Cool! Thanks, podcaster Sharon. (Also, go see Sharon's etsy shop; I could get in some trouble there.)
For those of you coming over from there, welcome! The contest is a continuing homage to late, great You Knit What?, which catalogued scary knits and called them fugly. I realized I had a few of those I had actually knit, and I figure you guys do too. Have you knit one? Send me a pic (or several) to the email up top, and if you win, you'll get your own Fugly Friday post. You'll also get yarn from my stash! (No could about it - winning = yarn. Winning is not guaranteed, though.)
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
The Whole Fugly Family
Well, the family isn't fugly at all, I just like alliteration.
Well, I'm not drunk, but it's still pretty interesting. Bonus points for using the entire family. This is definitely a winner. I particularly like the raccoon striping on (what I assume is) her father's hat. And what exactly is going with that bottle/giant glass, Susan M.?
Susan M. submits this picture of her nearest and dearest in some furry hand-knits.
She says, "I can definitely win your fugly Friday contest with my picture. I'm emailing you the picture of my drunken family in the collection I knitted. The poncho is Bernat Galaxy, with 2 fun fur hats and an earflap beanie on my sister. The whole collection was much more interesting when drunk...... "
Well, I'm not drunk, but it's still pretty interesting. Bonus points for using the entire family. This is definitely a winner. I particularly like the raccoon striping on (what I assume is) her father's hat. And what exactly is going with that bottle/giant glass, Susan M.?
Overall, you do the Mrs. Clause sweater proud.
Email me at the adress up top to discuss your prize.
Keep submitting for the fugly contest! I've been getting some great ones, and they will probably all make an appearance eventually. (I'm thinking twice a week or so.) Which means if you win, you get yarn! Yay yarn!
*EDIT* Also, Kate just got her present. Go say hi, and see what awesome things I really do send out.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Good Work!
All your good lucks and well wishes must have worked because:
I PASSED!
They passed me quickly and unanimously, right after the exam. I stumbled a little here and there, but I didn't bomb any of the questions.
I now have my masters' degree in physics. Well, I won't have it physically until August, but anything resembling work is over.
Considering the final goal is the Ph.D., I didn't think I would be this excited about getting the M.S., but it's suprisingly gratifying. I've been happy dancing through the hallways.
Good work on the mojo, guys. Good work.
I PASSED!
They passed me quickly and unanimously, right after the exam. I stumbled a little here and there, but I didn't bomb any of the questions.
I now have my masters' degree in physics. Well, I won't have it physically until August, but anything resembling work is over.
Considering the final goal is the Ph.D., I didn't think I would be this excited about getting the M.S., but it's suprisingly gratifying. I've been happy dancing through the hallways.
Good work on the mojo, guys. Good work.
Monday, June 25, 2007
How did I not know this existed?
Ladies and gentleman, there is now - Loop-d-Loop crochet.
I must have this book. I must have it now. If just one pattern winds up being as cute and versitale as the celebrated Ballet T, or if the photography is as good as the last book, it will be utterly worth it. I'm so glad there are cute crochet books finally coming out. The lack of wearable crochet patterns was the reason I took up knitting in the first place.
Maybe this will be my reward if I pass my....
MASTER'S EXAM TOMORROW
Panic sequence has been initiated. Which is clearly why I'm trolling the blogs while(by which I mean, instead of) studying.
I must have this book. I must have it now. If just one pattern winds up being as cute and versitale as the celebrated Ballet T, or if the photography is as good as the last book, it will be utterly worth it. I'm so glad there are cute crochet books finally coming out. The lack of wearable crochet patterns was the reason I took up knitting in the first place.
Maybe this will be my reward if I pass my....
MASTER'S EXAM TOMORROW
Panic sequence has been initiated. Which is clearly why I'm trolling the blogs while(by which I mean, instead of) studying.
Birthday Meme
Fugly......Monday?
Yep, Fugly Monday. There are too many good submissions for the Fugly Contest that I just can't wait till Friday.
As usual, Kate is a first responder (she's a doctor/former EMT).
Here's what she submits as fugly.
"My aunt’s knitted uterus. Bonus points for the fact that it’s hot pink chunky weight acrylic."
Bonus points indeed. Also, bonus points for being on your shelf.
But it's not so bad as far as body parts go.
She also submits "The awful fun fur ducks that I made for my friend Robin before her first grade class did their unit on hatching chicks."
Normally, I am anti-fun fur, but I think these are kind of cute, even if they do look a little sad.
Uh, do they have wings, though? Maybe that is a bit disturbing.
Also, she says, "And the sock itself isn’t so fugly (it’s the very first full pair of socks I knit. They each had a cancer awareness ribbon on the side; I did them for my friend’s mom when she did the Avon 3Day), but, I think it funny because it’s on the dog."
It's not fugly at all, but Maggie is just too cute not to post. Seriously, she may be the cutest dog ever (you should see her chase - and catch - her tail). I demand more pictures of Maggie on Kate's blog.
Kate does not win anything from my stash.
Instead, she wins something brand new I was thinking about sending her as a housewarming/miss you present after her big move anyway. This just totally justifies it.
But I'm not going to tell her what just yet, or that would ruin the surprise.
Keep sending the fuglies! There's no limit.
As usual, Kate is a first responder (she's a doctor/former EMT).
Here's what she submits as fugly.
"My aunt’s knitted uterus. Bonus points for the fact that it’s hot pink chunky weight acrylic."
Bonus points indeed. Also, bonus points for being on your shelf.
But it's not so bad as far as body parts go.
She also submits "The awful fun fur ducks that I made for my friend Robin before her first grade class did their unit on hatching chicks."
Normally, I am anti-fun fur, but I think these are kind of cute, even if they do look a little sad.
Uh, do they have wings, though? Maybe that is a bit disturbing.
Also, she says, "And the sock itself isn’t so fugly (it’s the very first full pair of socks I knit. They each had a cancer awareness ribbon on the side; I did them for my friend’s mom when she did the Avon 3Day), but, I think it funny because it’s on the dog."
It's not fugly at all, but Maggie is just too cute not to post. Seriously, she may be the cutest dog ever (you should see her chase - and catch - her tail). I demand more pictures of Maggie on Kate's blog.
Kate does not win anything from my stash.
Instead, she wins something brand new I was thinking about sending her as a housewarming/miss you present after her big move anyway. This just totally justifies it.
But I'm not going to tell her what just yet, or that would ruin the surprise.
Keep sending the fuglies! There's no limit.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Fugly Friday - and Contest!
Of course it's fugly Friday. You didn't think I'd let you down just because I'm off cavorting with sexy new yarns, did you?
Today I bring you something that truly makes me cringe. These are not fugly in and of themselves. In some (read: unused) lights, they're kind of cute. I'm sure it was very useful, perhaps necessary, back in the day, but the thought of making it modern times truly horrifies me.
It's knitted diapers. Well, okay, knitted diaper covers, I guess, but it will all work out the same in the end (especially on that end). They're called "knitted soakers," so that kind of tells you just what they're going to be used for.
It's actually from a really nice site, Glamarama's vintage knitting patterns. There are some really cute patterns there (like this sexy blouse). (Also, there are some very silly hats , which might get their own post later.) But....I just couldn't do this to my knitting. Babies do a lot of gross things. I have enough issues with the thought of a baby barfing on a sweater. This is why I will only make baby things out of washable yarns.
I'm sure things like this and cloth diapers are wonderful and lovely and good for the environment and will pamper your baby's bottom, etc, etc. But you're making something the kid is going to poop on. And not just any poop, technicolor baby poop.
No, no, my friends. We have moved past an age where these should be knit. (Or at the very least, used.) Make something that collects less disgusting body fluids.
Also, in a blantant attempt to destash, I've decided to host an ongoing fugly contest. Have you personally knitted something fugly (like my Mrs. Clause sweater)? Or something that started out all right but has gone horribly, comically wrong? Send me a pic. If I use it, you could win fun things from my stash. Enter as many times as you like. Void where prohibited by law, and all that.
What's in my stash? Some good stuff, I assure you, and I promise not to send you the Red Heart Acrylic. (Unless you want the Red Heart Acrylic, in which case, hey. We can discuss it if you win.) Hopefully I'll get a ravelry invitation soon and you can see the goodies for yourself.
Today I bring you something that truly makes me cringe. These are not fugly in and of themselves. In some (read: unused) lights, they're kind of cute. I'm sure it was very useful, perhaps necessary, back in the day, but the thought of making it modern times truly horrifies me.
It's knitted diapers. Well, okay, knitted diaper covers, I guess, but it will all work out the same in the end (especially on that end). They're called "knitted soakers," so that kind of tells you just what they're going to be used for.
It's actually from a really nice site, Glamarama's vintage knitting patterns. There are some really cute patterns there (like this sexy blouse). (Also, there are some very silly hats , which might get their own post later.) But....I just couldn't do this to my knitting. Babies do a lot of gross things. I have enough issues with the thought of a baby barfing on a sweater. This is why I will only make baby things out of washable yarns.
I'm sure things like this and cloth diapers are wonderful and lovely and good for the environment and will pamper your baby's bottom, etc, etc. But you're making something the kid is going to poop on. And not just any poop, technicolor baby poop.
No, no, my friends. We have moved past an age where these should be knit. (Or at the very least, used.) Make something that collects less disgusting body fluids.
Also, in a blantant attempt to destash, I've decided to host an ongoing fugly contest. Have you personally knitted something fugly (like my Mrs. Clause sweater)? Or something that started out all right but has gone horribly, comically wrong? Send me a pic. If I use it, you could win fun things from my stash. Enter as many times as you like. Void where prohibited by law, and all that.
What's in my stash? Some good stuff, I assure you, and I promise not to send you the Red Heart Acrylic. (Unless you want the Red Heart Acrylic, in which case, hey. We can discuss it if you win.) Hopefully I'll get a ravelry invitation soon and you can see the goodies for yourself.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
My Life as a Sitcom
I'm not particularly injury prone, but luckily for you, when I do get injured, it's usually pretty funny.
Remember when I sprained my ankle? Apparently this was pre-blogging days. That's a subject for another post (if you're interested). Let's just say it involved a crosswalk, a high speed police chase across campus, an air cast, and a policeman backing into a fire hydrant. In retrospect, it's hysterical. (Actually, it was even pretty funny at the time.)
The current injury is not quite as good, but the events surrounding it certainly deserve a chuckle.
So, yesterday, I was working on my talk for the presentation today. I decided I needed a soda, since caffeine is the life blood of all academic endeavors. I went down to the floor that had the vending, got my Diet Pepsi (which has less caffeine than Diet Coke, sadly) and started walking out. There's a little tiled area in front of the vending and the ice machine, and then it goes back into the hallway carpeting. There's also apparently a large puddle from the ice machine directly at that intersection of flooring. The area was not well lit, and slipped right into that puddle.
I crashed and burned. Literally, rug burned a bit on my hand and arm, and seriously twisted up my knee. It hurt a lot. For some reason, my body's reaction to pain is nausea, and I sat there on the floor for about 5 minutes while I regained composure. I limped to the hall phone and reported the incident to the front desk immediately. They did an incident report, etc, etc, and brought me some tylenol.
Later that night, about 11:30 locally, I got really hungry. I would have walked down to the convienience store nearby, but that would have involved walking. Walking was definitely not on the agenda. Room service ended at 10 (not cool). I got a hold of a pizza place, and got a small pizza delivered right to my room. I ate a few pieces, and set the rest on the desk, since there wasn't even a mini-bar in the room.
Now, about that time, I had started seeing a few ants around the room. Okay, ants could come from anywhere. It's summer, one or two here or there, not really a big deal.
Except it was a really big deal. Even though it was the night before my presentation, the combination of the caffeine from earlier, and the pain of getting the caffeine earlier, I couldn't sleep. At about 4 am, I went to get another slice of pizza, and found the pizza box teeming with ants.
And not just the box. The entire room. I picked up my cell phone from that same desk, opened it up, and there were ants crawling in it. They were crawling in my computer bag. They were everywhere. They were in the bed. Let me repeat that.
There were ANTS in my BED.
I called the front desk. There were no other rooms, but they did offer to come up and clean it right away. Well, what else could I do? I suppose I could have demanded they pay for another hotel, but how would I have limped there? I couldn't stand to stay in the room while they cleaned. The thought of ants everywhere, in all my stuff, all over my bed, was too much. I sat in the lobby reading webcomics until about 5:30 am, when they were finished. It still creeped me out, but I did eventually fall asleep, about one hour before my wakeup call.
I asked for two wakeup calls, but for some reason, didn't get the second one. They had already agreed to give me a ride to my meeting tomorrow (since it would have been a 15 minute walk while not shambling like a zombie), and I didn't wake up until I got that call. At any rate, they were all very nice about things, and opened up the little gift shop to get me some snacks, since I was now out one pizza. This morning, they also met me with coffee.
I'm sure they're afraid I'm going to sue or something, but I'm not too worried about it. I'm pretty sure it's just a strain. They've been really accomodating about everything, but dude, my knee hurts, and it's spreading into my hip from limping. And there were ants in my bed.
If I keep doing things like this, I'm going to have to write a sitcom. It will be required by law.
Remember when I sprained my ankle? Apparently this was pre-blogging days. That's a subject for another post (if you're interested). Let's just say it involved a crosswalk, a high speed police chase across campus, an air cast, and a policeman backing into a fire hydrant. In retrospect, it's hysterical. (Actually, it was even pretty funny at the time.)
The current injury is not quite as good, but the events surrounding it certainly deserve a chuckle.
So, yesterday, I was working on my talk for the presentation today. I decided I needed a soda, since caffeine is the life blood of all academic endeavors. I went down to the floor that had the vending, got my Diet Pepsi (which has less caffeine than Diet Coke, sadly) and started walking out. There's a little tiled area in front of the vending and the ice machine, and then it goes back into the hallway carpeting. There's also apparently a large puddle from the ice machine directly at that intersection of flooring. The area was not well lit, and slipped right into that puddle.
I crashed and burned. Literally, rug burned a bit on my hand and arm, and seriously twisted up my knee. It hurt a lot. For some reason, my body's reaction to pain is nausea, and I sat there on the floor for about 5 minutes while I regained composure. I limped to the hall phone and reported the incident to the front desk immediately. They did an incident report, etc, etc, and brought me some tylenol.
Later that night, about 11:30 locally, I got really hungry. I would have walked down to the convienience store nearby, but that would have involved walking. Walking was definitely not on the agenda. Room service ended at 10 (not cool). I got a hold of a pizza place, and got a small pizza delivered right to my room. I ate a few pieces, and set the rest on the desk, since there wasn't even a mini-bar in the room.
Now, about that time, I had started seeing a few ants around the room. Okay, ants could come from anywhere. It's summer, one or two here or there, not really a big deal.
Except it was a really big deal. Even though it was the night before my presentation, the combination of the caffeine from earlier, and the pain of getting the caffeine earlier, I couldn't sleep. At about 4 am, I went to get another slice of pizza, and found the pizza box teeming with ants.
And not just the box. The entire room. I picked up my cell phone from that same desk, opened it up, and there were ants crawling in it. They were crawling in my computer bag. They were everywhere. They were in the bed. Let me repeat that.
There were ANTS in my BED.
I called the front desk. There were no other rooms, but they did offer to come up and clean it right away. Well, what else could I do? I suppose I could have demanded they pay for another hotel, but how would I have limped there? I couldn't stand to stay in the room while they cleaned. The thought of ants everywhere, in all my stuff, all over my bed, was too much. I sat in the lobby reading webcomics until about 5:30 am, when they were finished. It still creeped me out, but I did eventually fall asleep, about one hour before my wakeup call.
I asked for two wakeup calls, but for some reason, didn't get the second one. They had already agreed to give me a ride to my meeting tomorrow (since it would have been a 15 minute walk while not shambling like a zombie), and I didn't wake up until I got that call. At any rate, they were all very nice about things, and opened up the little gift shop to get me some snacks, since I was now out one pizza. This morning, they also met me with coffee.
I'm sure they're afraid I'm going to sue or something, but I'm not too worried about it. I'm pretty sure it's just a strain. They've been really accomodating about everything, but dude, my knee hurts, and it's spreading into my hip from limping. And there were ants in my bed.
If I keep doing things like this, I'm going to have to write a sitcom. It will be required by law.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Maybe I picked the wrong school.
So I'm up in East Lansing, MI at the fun and exciting Michigan State University for what is effectively a conference. The conference is of course, fun, exciting and educational. Yay, physics.
If I had known about the yarn shops in the area, maybe I would have applied here for grad school. They have a good physics program, but they have amazing yarn shops.
Holy crap.
First off, I know you're thinking - "East Lansing....that has to be near Thread Bear, right?"
Why yes. Yes it is.
More importantly, it's also the home of my friend Amanda, who is happy to knit with me and take me yarn shopping, especially at Thread Bear.
Thread Bear is stunning. Thread Bear has every single yarn from every single manufacturer in every single color, ever. (I might be exaggerating, but not by much.) I was paralyzed by choice. I found yarns and colors of my favorite brands that I did not know existed. As Amanda puts it, it's the size of her grocery store back home. (They also bundle up the kits of the infamous Tulip Sweater, which has been driving Dream in Color at the LYS crazy lately.)
Somehow, I walked out of there with three skeins of sock yarn and a magazine, but that's only because the other alternative was buying the entire store. When I go get my camera I will show you this yarn, and tell you the story behind it (there's a story). Let me tell you, it's good stuff.
I also heard about a couple of other yarn shops in the area too. I thought Thread Bear was enough to satisfy me for a while, but I'm not about to turn down the opportunity to go to another yarn shop that was right in the downtown area.
Holier crap.
I was having a little trouble finding Woven Arts , so I popped in a store downtown and looked them up in the phonebook. The owner kindly directed me down the street to the store with the tree outside that was wearing sweaters. I thought this was a great indication for a yarn shop.
The shop is very small, and it's not even packed to the gills with yarn. Instead, it was clean, inviting, and filled with some of the most beautiful, unique yarns I have ever seen. It was absolutely amazing. First off, there were baskets of handspun.
I pored over that alone for at least an hour. I wound up with a little skein of pale blue and white silk that will likely become a headband (maybe the Dream Swatch from Knit and Tonic. I've been blog stalking her long enough, I should probably use a pattern.) It's spun by a local woman named Jacquie Vaughan, who according to Nancy (the owner of Woven Art) actually taught Veronica of my LYS to spin. We kept having small world moments like that.
Then, probably half of the yarn in that shop is hand dyed. There were brands I didn't recognize, of all sorts of decent cottons, silks, and various wools. Also, which I think is amazlingly clever, she buys popular brands and hand-dyes them herself. That way, you know all about the yarn, how it works, and can use it if the pattern actually calls for it, but you get in a gorgeous hand-dyed colorway. It's just so smart, I can't imagine why I haven't seen it before at another yarn shop. There was a massive skein of Panda Cotton she had dyed in obnoxiously beautiful rainbow colors that was long enough for two pairs of socks. She happily split it in half! Ladies and gentleman, that is amazing customer service. But I assure you, there were many, many other tempting yarns there.
One of the base yarns is a lovely cotton/silk blend that really feels more like silk. There were some fantastic colorways she had dyed already, but I'm getting to dye me an entire sweater's worth of black. I've been wanting to make the Simple Knitted Bodice out of black silk for a very long time, but it's far harder than I realized to find a worsted weight black silk. Not only will I have it now, but it will also have the character and beauty of a hand-dyed yarn. I'm so glad I found this store.
But the yarn was only half of it. The entire back half was filled with weaving looms and spinning wheels. If I lived here, I'm sure I would never leave that store. I never had any urge to learn about weaving until I saw it in action. It's beautiful. However, I think this is a path I had better not pursue just yet. I certainly can't afford a loom, and I know I would want one.
When I show you the yarns I picked up, for the prices I got them, you will be flabbergasted. In addition to the silk for the headband and the panda cotton, I picked up some white mohair (intended for the Icarus shawl (scroll down)). It was 1000 yards for $27.50. That's the entire shawl, and then some. I also got cream colored thick and thin cotton that will go for lacy washcloths, the perfect go-to knitting gift. It was, get this, 700 yards for $7.15. That's just a little over $1/100 yards. Think about it - I don't think you can get Peaches 'n' Creme cotton for that. Of course, I still highly recommend Thread Bear, but I got into so much more trouble at this little shop. Something about knowing that this is the only place in the world that you can get this yarn makes it so much more tempting.
A good blogger would post pictures right here and now, but I'm too excited to wait until I get the camera. Overall, this has been a highly productive conference. I don't know if my stamina or my credit card could take another yarn shop in this trip. That's a good sign, right? Right?
Also, I found a really awesome used book store. I spent about $20 and walked out with a bag full of cool old books. (Note to self: books are heavy, particularly when you have a 15 minute walk in 90 degree heat.) (Note to self: Screw it, books are totally worth it.) No knitting books, though, save a really scary one from the 70's that I emphatically did not get.
Also, I learned a lot about physics and advanced my career as an academic professional. Yeah. That part, especially.
If I had known about the yarn shops in the area, maybe I would have applied here for grad school. They have a good physics program, but they have amazing yarn shops.
Holy crap.
First off, I know you're thinking - "East Lansing....that has to be near Thread Bear, right?"
Why yes. Yes it is.
More importantly, it's also the home of my friend Amanda, who is happy to knit with me and take me yarn shopping, especially at Thread Bear.
Thread Bear is stunning. Thread Bear has every single yarn from every single manufacturer in every single color, ever. (I might be exaggerating, but not by much.) I was paralyzed by choice. I found yarns and colors of my favorite brands that I did not know existed. As Amanda puts it, it's the size of her grocery store back home. (They also bundle up the kits of the infamous Tulip Sweater, which has been driving Dream in Color at the LYS crazy lately.)
Somehow, I walked out of there with three skeins of sock yarn and a magazine, but that's only because the other alternative was buying the entire store. When I go get my camera I will show you this yarn, and tell you the story behind it (there's a story). Let me tell you, it's good stuff.
I also heard about a couple of other yarn shops in the area too. I thought Thread Bear was enough to satisfy me for a while, but I'm not about to turn down the opportunity to go to another yarn shop that was right in the downtown area.
Holier crap.
I was having a little trouble finding Woven Arts , so I popped in a store downtown and looked them up in the phonebook. The owner kindly directed me down the street to the store with the tree outside that was wearing sweaters. I thought this was a great indication for a yarn shop.
The shop is very small, and it's not even packed to the gills with yarn. Instead, it was clean, inviting, and filled with some of the most beautiful, unique yarns I have ever seen. It was absolutely amazing. First off, there were baskets of handspun.
I pored over that alone for at least an hour. I wound up with a little skein of pale blue and white silk that will likely become a headband (maybe the Dream Swatch from Knit and Tonic. I've been blog stalking her long enough, I should probably use a pattern.) It's spun by a local woman named Jacquie Vaughan, who according to Nancy (the owner of Woven Art) actually taught Veronica of my LYS to spin. We kept having small world moments like that.
Then, probably half of the yarn in that shop is hand dyed. There were brands I didn't recognize, of all sorts of decent cottons, silks, and various wools. Also, which I think is amazlingly clever, she buys popular brands and hand-dyes them herself. That way, you know all about the yarn, how it works, and can use it if the pattern actually calls for it, but you get in a gorgeous hand-dyed colorway. It's just so smart, I can't imagine why I haven't seen it before at another yarn shop. There was a massive skein of Panda Cotton she had dyed in obnoxiously beautiful rainbow colors that was long enough for two pairs of socks. She happily split it in half! Ladies and gentleman, that is amazing customer service. But I assure you, there were many, many other tempting yarns there.
One of the base yarns is a lovely cotton/silk blend that really feels more like silk. There were some fantastic colorways she had dyed already, but I'm getting to dye me an entire sweater's worth of black. I've been wanting to make the Simple Knitted Bodice out of black silk for a very long time, but it's far harder than I realized to find a worsted weight black silk. Not only will I have it now, but it will also have the character and beauty of a hand-dyed yarn. I'm so glad I found this store.
But the yarn was only half of it. The entire back half was filled with weaving looms and spinning wheels. If I lived here, I'm sure I would never leave that store. I never had any urge to learn about weaving until I saw it in action. It's beautiful. However, I think this is a path I had better not pursue just yet. I certainly can't afford a loom, and I know I would want one.
When I show you the yarns I picked up, for the prices I got them, you will be flabbergasted. In addition to the silk for the headband and the panda cotton, I picked up some white mohair (intended for the Icarus shawl (scroll down)). It was 1000 yards for $27.50. That's the entire shawl, and then some. I also got cream colored thick and thin cotton that will go for lacy washcloths, the perfect go-to knitting gift. It was, get this, 700 yards for $7.15. That's just a little over $1/100 yards. Think about it - I don't think you can get Peaches 'n' Creme cotton for that. Of course, I still highly recommend Thread Bear, but I got into so much more trouble at this little shop. Something about knowing that this is the only place in the world that you can get this yarn makes it so much more tempting.
A good blogger would post pictures right here and now, but I'm too excited to wait until I get the camera. Overall, this has been a highly productive conference. I don't know if my stamina or my credit card could take another yarn shop in this trip. That's a good sign, right? Right?
Also, I found a really awesome used book store. I spent about $20 and walked out with a bag full of cool old books. (Note to self: books are heavy, particularly when you have a 15 minute walk in 90 degree heat.) (Note to self: Screw it, books are totally worth it.) No knitting books, though, save a really scary one from the 70's that I emphatically did not get.
Also, I learned a lot about physics and advanced my career as an academic professional. Yeah. That part, especially.
Monday, June 18, 2007
SWF ISO perfect cardigan
Remember this?
It's a big ol' pile of Noro Cash Iroha (40% Silk, 30% Lambswool, 20% Cashmere, 10% nylon ) I picked up in Japan. I know exactly what I want to make out of it.
I want a cardigan with these buttons.
The trouble? I'm just not finding the right pattern.
I want a cardigan, but it needs to be knit with absolutely minimal seaming (this is key!) and with some waist shaping. It should fit well on my 34" bust. It should also be relatively plain, because I have a finite amount of yarn (1200 yds), and I don't want the buttons to get lost in a pattern. I'm capable of small adjustments, but I'm just too lazy to do anything major.
I considered a deeply ribbed one from Glampyre, but it involved steeking the entire front. The entire front. I mean, I'm brave, but that's a lot of expensive souvenir yarn. I don't think I can really take that risk.
Of course, I should get off my lazy arse and write the pattern myself.
Instead, I'll get you to do my bidding.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my first blog contest. It begins.....
(wait for it)
(wait for it)
NOW!
And it continues until I find just the right pattern. It can be any pattern from any source, as long as it follows the guidelines listed above. I'm willing to buy books, standalone patterns, or even one from you, if you write it yourself (I can dream).
Whoever suggests the pattern I decide to use wins a super awesome surprise from my stash. Perhaps I will even confer with the winner to see what sort of stuffs from my stash they desire. It's just that kind of contest, and just that kind of stash.
Email your suggestions (a link or photo would also be nice) to me at the theoriesofstring in the domain of gmail in the dot com locale. If I choose you, I'll email you back and let you know.
Also, if you'd like to continue the discussion on whether yarn shops should charge for social knitting or not, please email me so I can respond personally. I'm happy to discuss this on a reasonable level. I realize we may have vastly differing opinions, but I will no longer be entertaining personal attacks on my blog.
It's a big ol' pile of Noro Cash Iroha (40% Silk, 30% Lambswool, 20% Cashmere, 10% nylon ) I picked up in Japan. I know exactly what I want to make out of it.
I want a cardigan with these buttons.
The trouble? I'm just not finding the right pattern.
I want a cardigan, but it needs to be knit with absolutely minimal seaming (this is key!) and with some waist shaping. It should fit well on my 34" bust. It should also be relatively plain, because I have a finite amount of yarn (1200 yds), and I don't want the buttons to get lost in a pattern. I'm capable of small adjustments, but I'm just too lazy to do anything major.
I considered a deeply ribbed one from Glampyre, but it involved steeking the entire front. The entire front. I mean, I'm brave, but that's a lot of expensive souvenir yarn. I don't think I can really take that risk.
Of course, I should get off my lazy arse and write the pattern myself.
Instead, I'll get you to do my bidding.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my first blog contest. It begins.....
(wait for it)
(wait for it)
NOW!
And it continues until I find just the right pattern. It can be any pattern from any source, as long as it follows the guidelines listed above. I'm willing to buy books, standalone patterns, or even one from you, if you write it yourself (I can dream).
Whoever suggests the pattern I decide to use wins a super awesome surprise from my stash. Perhaps I will even confer with the winner to see what sort of stuffs from my stash they desire. It's just that kind of contest, and just that kind of stash.
Email your suggestions (a link or photo would also be nice) to me at the theoriesofstring in the domain of gmail in the dot com locale. If I choose you, I'll email you back and let you know.
Also, if you'd like to continue the discussion on whether yarn shops should charge for social knitting or not, please email me so I can respond personally. I'm happy to discuss this on a reasonable level. I realize we may have vastly differing opinions, but I will no longer be entertaining personal attacks on my blog.
More crankiness!
I've started a bit of a flame war. Interesting.
Latest comment:
"It is really too bad that the world has become such a negative place and that you would call to boycott a store with out contacting the owner first as to why they might have instituted a new policy. What’s even worse is that so many people would criticize such a policy instead of saying to them selves that makes sense; someone has to pay salaries…etc. I guess what is really unfortunate is that a store would have to come up with a policy for people to understand that there is an expense incurred when a store is kept open and staffed no matter what the time of day. Knitche has provided a comfortable and welcoming environment for people to come and knit and I would happily pay $5.00 to sit and knit. You have mentioned several times in your comments that you prefer Beer, maybe you would find your local tavern to be a more suitable outlet for your creativity…although remember when you spend that $5.00 on a Beer you could probably buy a 12 pack for the same amount of money though I doubt this would detour you."
Once again, I did not call to boycott the store, just this silly charge. Inviting people in to knit is effectively advertising, which companies spend a massive amount on. Of course you pay someone to be there. Chalk it up to advertising.
And I did email the owner right away. But I blog about my knitting life, and I blog about my opinions, so it made it in here too.
I did spend my money on beer - a large quality German beer at a locally owned tavern. I was quite pleased to knit there. I could buy a 12 pack of something crappy from Walmart...but that would be wrong for both my taste buds and the local economy. And that would put locally owned taverns out of business.
Wait, that argument sounds familiar.....
Latest comment:
"It is really too bad that the world has become such a negative place and that you would call to boycott a store with out contacting the owner first as to why they might have instituted a new policy. What’s even worse is that so many people would criticize such a policy instead of saying to them selves that makes sense; someone has to pay salaries…etc. I guess what is really unfortunate is that a store would have to come up with a policy for people to understand that there is an expense incurred when a store is kept open and staffed no matter what the time of day. Knitche has provided a comfortable and welcoming environment for people to come and knit and I would happily pay $5.00 to sit and knit. You have mentioned several times in your comments that you prefer Beer, maybe you would find your local tavern to be a more suitable outlet for your creativity…although remember when you spend that $5.00 on a Beer you could probably buy a 12 pack for the same amount of money though I doubt this would detour you."
Once again, I did not call to boycott the store, just this silly charge. Inviting people in to knit is effectively advertising, which companies spend a massive amount on. Of course you pay someone to be there. Chalk it up to advertising.
And I did email the owner right away. But I blog about my knitting life, and I blog about my opinions, so it made it in here too.
I did spend my money on beer - a large quality German beer at a locally owned tavern. I was quite pleased to knit there. I could buy a 12 pack of something crappy from Walmart...but that would be wrong for both my taste buds and the local economy. And that would put locally owned taverns out of business.
Wait, that argument sounds familiar.....
My first hate comment
I'm moving up in the blog world kids; I actually got a nasty comment on my blog.
In response to my post about the Knitche charge, Knitting fiend wrote:
"Wow, you gals are way off base. The $5 is not "to just sit and knit" but rather is a credit toward yarn purchases. Did you even read the explanation Knitche provided before you decided to lead a boycott against the best yarn store in the area?"
Yes, I read it while I was in the store. I still turned and walked right out. To me, it sounded bitter and petty. I spend enough money on yarn as it is, and I support local businessess. The last time I was in Knitche, I dropped a lot of money. When I spend that much money two weeks before, I can't believe they want me to spend another $5 for nothing. Yes, I know this can be applied later. I still believe it's wrong in principle. I'm not suggesting a total boycott, just a boycott of this knitting night that charges you and you get nothing in return. I also suggested emailing the owner herself, which I believe a few people have done. She thanked me for communicating with her, and I think if enough people do, she may change her mind.
"All we knitters need is for one more shop to go out of business because the cheapos decide to buy for a few dollars less online. The only reason I could see that anyone would be upset about this policy is if they don't buy anything at Knitche but instead are using the shop as their personal social location, while purchasing their materials somewhere else. Kudos to Kathy for standing up to these freeloaders! And shame on you for leading an online boycott without knowing what you're talking about (or worse, knowing but purposely targeting this wonderful store!). "
I have ordered online about once in the last year, and I can't remember the last time I shopped at a chain store. I am certainly not a cheapo when it comes to yarn. I certainly don't shop exclusively at knit, but I have spent my fair share of money there. I am not a freeloader, but to demand money for something I can do for free anywhere else is just absurd. For god's sake, at least give us a damn cookie for that price. Myself, I prefer the beer.
Furthermore, many of the shops that have gone out of business recently were notorious for their poor customer service (eg Kool Knits in Naperville). I believe that this is in the same vein. Let's face it, the more time I spend in a yarn shop, the more money I will spend. Consider it advertising, which most businesses actually pay for.
In response to my post about the Knitche charge, Knitting fiend wrote:
"Wow, you gals are way off base. The $5 is not "to just sit and knit" but rather is a credit toward yarn purchases. Did you even read the explanation Knitche provided before you decided to lead a boycott against the best yarn store in the area?"
Yes, I read it while I was in the store. I still turned and walked right out. To me, it sounded bitter and petty. I spend enough money on yarn as it is, and I support local businessess. The last time I was in Knitche, I dropped a lot of money. When I spend that much money two weeks before, I can't believe they want me to spend another $5 for nothing. Yes, I know this can be applied later. I still believe it's wrong in principle. I'm not suggesting a total boycott, just a boycott of this knitting night that charges you and you get nothing in return. I also suggested emailing the owner herself, which I believe a few people have done. She thanked me for communicating with her, and I think if enough people do, she may change her mind.
"All we knitters need is for one more shop to go out of business because the cheapos decide to buy for a few dollars less online. The only reason I could see that anyone would be upset about this policy is if they don't buy anything at Knitche but instead are using the shop as their personal social location, while purchasing their materials somewhere else. Kudos to Kathy for standing up to these freeloaders! And shame on you for leading an online boycott without knowing what you're talking about (or worse, knowing but purposely targeting this wonderful store!). "
I have ordered online about once in the last year, and I can't remember the last time I shopped at a chain store. I am certainly not a cheapo when it comes to yarn. I certainly don't shop exclusively at knit, but I have spent my fair share of money there. I am not a freeloader, but to demand money for something I can do for free anywhere else is just absurd. For god's sake, at least give us a damn cookie for that price. Myself, I prefer the beer.
Furthermore, many of the shops that have gone out of business recently were notorious for their poor customer service (eg Kool Knits in Naperville). I believe that this is in the same vein. Let's face it, the more time I spend in a yarn shop, the more money I will spend. Consider it advertising, which most businesses actually pay for.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Bonus Fugly
Okay, this arrived in my mailbox today courtesy of Lion Brand.
I couldn't stop laughing.
Act now. Kits are 50% off.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Un-Knitterly Behavior
At the last minute yesterday evening, I decided to take a trip to Downer's Grove to Knitche for their Thursday night open knitting event. It was a bit of a drive for me, at least half an hour, but I do love to knit and shop.
Imagine my surprise when I got there and found they were now beginning to assess a $5 fee for open knitting.
Huh?
We're coming into your store, more likely than not to spend quite a bit of money, and you're going to charge us? Are you kidding me?
Sure, the $5 could be applied to a purchase of $10 or more. Since I rarely leave a yarn shop spending less than that, it's not really a big deal monetarily. Before I heard about the fee, there were even some sock yarns that were looking particularly ravishing last night. It's the principle of the thing. If anything, they should be offering discounts.
I'm simply not going to pay $5 to sit on my ass and knit. I can do that for free at home (after the cost of yarn), and I could go to a bar and knit and at least get a beer for my $5 (which I may have done tonight).
This is simply un-knitterly behavior. We are a community. We help each other. We do not assess fees just to sit together and talk about knitting. If we were talking about serious classes, I could understand, but I was just there to knit on a pattern I'm not having any problems on (yet, lest I curse myself). I just wanted to sit down and chat about knitting. I was not going to pay to do that.
I turned and left, and drove the half hour back home. And maybe spent my $5 on beer.
When I got home, I sent off an angry email complaining about this, and suggesting to them that if the pleasure of their company was really worth paying for, perhaps they were in the wrong profession. Not only will I not be attending their Thursday night knitting in the future, I will not be visiting that store at all. I am not pleased. Not pleased at all.
I encourage you to boycott this fee with me, or at least send an email to kathy@knitche.com telling her that this is a very bad idea.
Imagine my surprise when I got there and found they were now beginning to assess a $5 fee for open knitting.
Huh?
We're coming into your store, more likely than not to spend quite a bit of money, and you're going to charge us? Are you kidding me?
Sure, the $5 could be applied to a purchase of $10 or more. Since I rarely leave a yarn shop spending less than that, it's not really a big deal monetarily. Before I heard about the fee, there were even some sock yarns that were looking particularly ravishing last night. It's the principle of the thing. If anything, they should be offering discounts.
I'm simply not going to pay $5 to sit on my ass and knit. I can do that for free at home (after the cost of yarn), and I could go to a bar and knit and at least get a beer for my $5 (which I may have done tonight).
This is simply un-knitterly behavior. We are a community. We help each other. We do not assess fees just to sit together and talk about knitting. If we were talking about serious classes, I could understand, but I was just there to knit on a pattern I'm not having any problems on (yet, lest I curse myself). I just wanted to sit down and chat about knitting. I was not going to pay to do that.
I turned and left, and drove the half hour back home. And maybe spent my $5 on beer.
When I got home, I sent off an angry email complaining about this, and suggesting to them that if the pleasure of their company was really worth paying for, perhaps they were in the wrong profession. Not only will I not be attending their Thursday night knitting in the future, I will not be visiting that store at all. I am not pleased. Not pleased at all.
I encourage you to boycott this fee with me, or at least send an email to kathy@knitche.com telling her that this is a very bad idea.
Fugly Friday
Not to pick on the Anticraft, but I had to do this one. Again, I repeat, mostly I adore the Anticraft. Most of their designs are absolutely hysterical, subversive, tounge-in-cheek works of art. Other are down right wearable, in an Earth-mother hippie sort of way.
And then there are others. Last week was the knitted fetus. This week continues the far-too-anatomically-correct-to-be-used-as-an-accessory trend.
It's the Snatchel. Yep, the snatchel.
Over 18 only please.
I had heard about this on the cast-on podcast before, but here it is in the, er, flesh.
Here's the thing. Just because something can be knit, doesn't mean it should. But, if you, for some reason, really feel the need to knit every imaginable body part, it doesn't mean that it should then become a purse. Think about where you're putting things here! The implications of putting say, keys, in a purse like this would make me want to pass out.
And presumably, you're most likely to make it like the one you've seen the most of. Is that the kind of thing you really want to advertise?
No. This is kind of funny, but mostly just frightening. It's one of those things that should be talked about, giggled about, and then never, ever brought to fruition.
On the other hand, I suppose you could stuff the knitted fetus purse into this one and then...... never mind.
*EDIT* At least it's not in a tree.
And then there are others. Last week was the knitted fetus. This week continues the far-too-anatomically-correct-to-be-used-as-an-accessory trend.
It's the Snatchel. Yep, the snatchel.
Over 18 only please.
I had heard about this on the cast-on podcast before, but here it is in the, er, flesh.
Here's the thing. Just because something can be knit, doesn't mean it should. But, if you, for some reason, really feel the need to knit every imaginable body part, it doesn't mean that it should then become a purse. Think about where you're putting things here! The implications of putting say, keys, in a purse like this would make me want to pass out.
And presumably, you're most likely to make it like the one you've seen the most of. Is that the kind of thing you really want to advertise?
No. This is kind of funny, but mostly just frightening. It's one of those things that should be talked about, giggled about, and then never, ever brought to fruition.
On the other hand, I suppose you could stuff the knitted fetus purse into this one and then...... never mind.
*EDIT* At least it's not in a tree.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Bad Sarahs
I had a little accident at the yarn shop last night. Just a tiny one.
Let me preface this by saying that I don't spend real money there. I help out there part time and they pay me in store credit. Hence, I can buy all sorts of luxurious yarns and things I normally could not afford. (Even if I could afford it, I probably wouldn't be able to justify it anyway. ) So it's not real money that I'm spending.
That said, I sure spent a lot of that fake money last night.
I tried to be good. I'm knitting a bag for felting with some truly lovely yarn that I paid real money for elsewhere. I'm trying to finish it, because I really do want the finished product. It's going to be a lot of fun to use. Unfortunately, it's not so fun to knit. I'm at the point where I just knit in the round until the second coming of Christ or your chosen deity. I couldn't do it.
And I was sitting across from the sock yarns. They were calling to me, and I could not resist their siren song. So I decided, I could just get one little skein and start from there.
I wound up with a Fortissima blend of wool and bamboo. Dear Christ or chosen deity, it was lovely. It had all the warmth and fuzzy softness of wool with all the sheen and silky softness of bamboo. It's beautiful stuff, and I highly recommend it.
But then I needed needles.
And I decided I was tired of doing socks on double points. Also, I had socks on double points at home. The only way I could justify making other socks right then and there was to make them in a different manner. So I bought two Addi turbos in size 0. Oops.
Then, I needed a pattern. I wanted something I could do without carrying a pattern along with me, but I was tired of doing just plain vanilla socks (as they call them in the sock world). (In other worlds, doing something in the plain vanilla manner means something completely different, but I shall not go there for now.) I started browsing sock books, which was a bad idea of epic proportions. I had thought I might get one. But which one? How many sock books could I really need? Last night, apparently, two.
I had heard marvelous independent reviews of both Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks and also of Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. I was paralyzed by indecision. SKS (as it's known in the sock world) had marvelous suggestions for all kinds of patterns I could use at the cuff. Knitting Vintage Socks (no standard abbreviation, as far I know) had marvelous instructions for many different kinds of heels, and the sort of historical content you could read in the bath (as I may have done last night). So, when plagued by indecision of this sort, I did what I normally do. I bought both. Let me tell you, I am going to be making some marvelous socks in the future. Also, I will be doing a lot of reading in the bath.
As if that weren't enough, though, I couldn't leave the sock yarn alone. It was looking at me with sad puppy dog eyes (metaphorically) begging to come home with me. So I may have wound up with another super secret ball of sock yarn. I promise you, it's for a very good reason.
Even with all that, all I managed on that sock last night was to swatch a bit. But you can't put a price tag on inspiration.
Let me preface this by saying that I don't spend real money there. I help out there part time and they pay me in store credit. Hence, I can buy all sorts of luxurious yarns and things I normally could not afford. (Even if I could afford it, I probably wouldn't be able to justify it anyway. ) So it's not real money that I'm spending.
That said, I sure spent a lot of that fake money last night.
I tried to be good. I'm knitting a bag for felting with some truly lovely yarn that I paid real money for elsewhere. I'm trying to finish it, because I really do want the finished product. It's going to be a lot of fun to use. Unfortunately, it's not so fun to knit. I'm at the point where I just knit in the round until the second coming of Christ or your chosen deity. I couldn't do it.
And I was sitting across from the sock yarns. They were calling to me, and I could not resist their siren song. So I decided, I could just get one little skein and start from there.
I wound up with a Fortissima blend of wool and bamboo. Dear Christ or chosen deity, it was lovely. It had all the warmth and fuzzy softness of wool with all the sheen and silky softness of bamboo. It's beautiful stuff, and I highly recommend it.
But then I needed needles.
And I decided I was tired of doing socks on double points. Also, I had socks on double points at home. The only way I could justify making other socks right then and there was to make them in a different manner. So I bought two Addi turbos in size 0. Oops.
Then, I needed a pattern. I wanted something I could do without carrying a pattern along with me, but I was tired of doing just plain vanilla socks (as they call them in the sock world). (In other worlds, doing something in the plain vanilla manner means something completely different, but I shall not go there for now.) I started browsing sock books, which was a bad idea of epic proportions. I had thought I might get one. But which one? How many sock books could I really need? Last night, apparently, two.
I had heard marvelous independent reviews of both Charlene Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks and also of Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks. I was paralyzed by indecision. SKS (as it's known in the sock world) had marvelous suggestions for all kinds of patterns I could use at the cuff. Knitting Vintage Socks (no standard abbreviation, as far I know) had marvelous instructions for many different kinds of heels, and the sort of historical content you could read in the bath (as I may have done last night). So, when plagued by indecision of this sort, I did what I normally do. I bought both. Let me tell you, I am going to be making some marvelous socks in the future. Also, I will be doing a lot of reading in the bath.
As if that weren't enough, though, I couldn't leave the sock yarn alone. It was looking at me with sad puppy dog eyes (metaphorically) begging to come home with me. So I may have wound up with another super secret ball of sock yarn. I promise you, it's for a very good reason.
Even with all that, all I managed on that sock last night was to swatch a bit. But you can't put a price tag on inspiration.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Foot Fetish
Okay, I probably need to slow down on this whole sock thing. People might be beginning to suspect I have a foot fetish or something.
Or maybe just a lot of free time on my hands. (The time is only free as far as my hands are concerned, not my energy or efforts.)
At any rate, I got a bit more knitting done and finally finished a pair of sparkly pink socks for myself.
Now, I was not thrilled with them when I started them. (Thanks to everyone who commented on that, btw.)
Or maybe just a lot of free time on my hands. (The time is only free as far as my hands are concerned, not my energy or efforts.)
At any rate, I got a bit more knitting done and finally finished a pair of sparkly pink socks for myself.
Now, I was not thrilled with them when I started them. (Thanks to everyone who commented on that, btw.)
In fact, I even abandoned them briefly.
But then I realized, I did really want sparkly pink socks. Because who wouldn't? Not me, that's who.
Skipping ahead turned out to be both a good and bad idea. I used the interim to make my mom's birthday socks, which were done with enthusiam and ahead of schedule.
The only trouble was that I had forgotten slightly what I had done on the toe of the sparkly pink socks. The toes might not match exactly. I might not care, considering that's the part that's always hidden, even if you wear clogs.
But then I realized, I did really want sparkly pink socks. Because who wouldn't? Not me, that's who.
Skipping ahead turned out to be both a good and bad idea. I used the interim to make my mom's birthday socks, which were done with enthusiam and ahead of schedule.
The only trouble was that I had forgotten slightly what I had done on the toe of the sparkly pink socks. The toes might not match exactly. I might not care, considering that's the part that's always hidden, even if you wear clogs.
I started out slightly too big at the cuff, and decreased down when I got to the foot. This worked out well, except that I had to fiddle with things when I got to the toe. And with about a week and a half betweeen fiddlings, they wound up slightly different. This socks are not important enough to frog, however. I really hate frogging.
(Ooh, turn that heel, baby)
They stripe nicely on their own, however. I paid slight attention to the striping, mostly because it was a really good measure of length (they are exactly the same length).
Overall, I am pleased, but not thrilled with these socks. I'm happy that I have sparkly pink socks. I'm not really a huge fan of this yarn otherwise. There's too much green for me, and I'm very picky about my greens. I don't think changing the pattern would have changed how I feel about the yarn. At least it's over, and the overall effect is pink and sparkly.
Here they are as they're likely to be worn, in my favorite shoes.
In Summary:
Yarn: Fortissima Colori Disco sock yarn from Schoeller + Stahl in color 5 (71% superwash wool, 26% polyamide, and 3% "poliestere metallised" - 450 yd) 1 skein
Needles: Size 1 dpn
Pattern: Plain stockinette with k1 sl1 heel flap
Time: Longer than it should have - maybe two weeks if I omit the abandoned section
Cost: $18 ish
Yarn: Fortissima Colori Disco sock yarn from Schoeller + Stahl in color 5 (71% superwash wool, 26% polyamide, and 3% "poliestere metallised" - 450 yd) 1 skein
Needles: Size 1 dpn
Pattern: Plain stockinette with k1 sl1 heel flap
Time: Longer than it should have - maybe two weeks if I omit the abandoned section
Cost: $18 ish
Worfy inspected the camera for me to make sure it was working.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Look! Knitting!
I actually finished these guys a couple of days ago, but work has been completely crazy. We put on a BBQ where I was literally running for about five hours. That's the not the point.
The point is these:
Mom's birthday socks. I'm not spoiling the surprise, since she already knows about them. The woman has issues with animal fibers. I won't say she's allergic, because I'm highly skeptical when people claim that, but she has called cashmere "scratchy."
So when some Panda Cotton popped up at the LYS, I figured it would be perfect for her, particularly since this very much her colorway. It's called "Blueberries and grape," but is unfortunately not scented as such. (That would be really cool though.) Also, I really wanted to try out this mostly bamboo yarn. It's supposed to have anti-bacterial properties and hold up quite well.
This are my first attempt at Toe-Up socks, following the "On Your Toes" pattern from Interweave Knits summer 2007. It's a really good first pattern, but I did have some issues with the short row heel. There seemed to be a really big gap where I knit the top part of the heel together. I don't really know what caused it, but it might have something to do with me not following the pattern exactly to the letter. You live and learn.
I'm very pleased with the way these came out, though. The pooling actually looks quite good, and is similar on both socks. It's one little skein of Panda Cotton for each foot. I highly recommend going toe up with this yarn, because although it's rather thick, there's not a whole lot of yardage. I also highly recommend the yarn, but with a caveat. It will unravel. There's nothing you can do about it. Just pay attention while you're knitting and the finished product will come out fine.
My mother has expressed the non-knitters disbelief that someone would actually take the time to knit socks. Like all other sock knitters, I am out to convert the world. They fit me all right, but they will fit her slightly longer feet better. Wait until she tries them. Then she will know. Soon, all the non-knitters will know. Muahahahaha.
In Summary:
Pattern: "On Your Toes" from Interweave Knits summer 2007
Yarn: Two skeins Panda Cotton (55% bamboo, 24% cotton, 21% nylon) 170yds.
Needles: Size 1 dpn
Cost: $15
Time: About a week to finish the pair.
The point is these:
Mom's birthday socks. I'm not spoiling the surprise, since she already knows about them. The woman has issues with animal fibers. I won't say she's allergic, because I'm highly skeptical when people claim that, but she has called cashmere "scratchy."
So when some Panda Cotton popped up at the LYS, I figured it would be perfect for her, particularly since this very much her colorway. It's called "Blueberries and grape," but is unfortunately not scented as such. (That would be really cool though.) Also, I really wanted to try out this mostly bamboo yarn. It's supposed to have anti-bacterial properties and hold up quite well.
This are my first attempt at Toe-Up socks, following the "On Your Toes" pattern from Interweave Knits summer 2007. It's a really good first pattern, but I did have some issues with the short row heel. There seemed to be a really big gap where I knit the top part of the heel together. I don't really know what caused it, but it might have something to do with me not following the pattern exactly to the letter. You live and learn.
I'm very pleased with the way these came out, though. The pooling actually looks quite good, and is similar on both socks. It's one little skein of Panda Cotton for each foot. I highly recommend going toe up with this yarn, because although it's rather thick, there's not a whole lot of yardage. I also highly recommend the yarn, but with a caveat. It will unravel. There's nothing you can do about it. Just pay attention while you're knitting and the finished product will come out fine.
My mother has expressed the non-knitters disbelief that someone would actually take the time to knit socks. Like all other sock knitters, I am out to convert the world. They fit me all right, but they will fit her slightly longer feet better. Wait until she tries them. Then she will know. Soon, all the non-knitters will know. Muahahahaha.
In Summary:
Pattern: "On Your Toes" from Interweave Knits summer 2007
Yarn: Two skeins Panda Cotton (55% bamboo, 24% cotton, 21% nylon) 170yds.
Needles: Size 1 dpn
Cost: $15
Time: About a week to finish the pair.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Do something good! And get alpaca fiber!
My friend Lorna is running a silent auction online for some people she knows who are battling cancer. This is a nasty, nasty disease that is very expensive to fight, even if you have insurance. So pop on over and take a look.
http://www.thestitchincorral.com/Silentauction.htm
Most of it's horsey stuff, but she has a friend who owns an alpaca farm. There are three bags full of alpaca fiber, with pictures of the little critters they come from. They're awfully cute, too.
So, support your fiber habit, and fight cancer! Get spinning!
http://www.thestitchincorral.com/Silentauction.htm
Most of it's horsey stuff, but she has a friend who owns an alpaca farm. There are three bags full of alpaca fiber, with pictures of the little critters they come from. They're awfully cute, too.
So, support your fiber habit, and fight cancer! Get spinning!
Fugly Friday
Okay, some people (Lorna) claimed I wimped out on Fugly Friday last week. I pitied the poor children, but this week I bring you something truly horrendous.
So horrendous that I'm only going to link to it, and not even post the picture on my blog.
It's the Fetus Coin Purse from the AntiCraft.
Normally, I find the AntiCraft pretty hysterical. They have some witty, subversive little projects, but this is just too much.
It's exactly what it sounds like, only it looks really disgusting. It's far too detailed for it's own good. And it's in a tree. I don't know why it's in a tree.
Just...go look for yourself. Nothing I can say will really compare.
So horrendous that I'm only going to link to it, and not even post the picture on my blog.
It's the Fetus Coin Purse from the AntiCraft.
Normally, I find the AntiCraft pretty hysterical. They have some witty, subversive little projects, but this is just too much.
It's exactly what it sounds like, only it looks really disgusting. It's far too detailed for it's own good. And it's in a tree. I don't know why it's in a tree.
Just...go look for yourself. Nothing I can say will really compare.
Monday, June 04, 2007
In the Jaywalker Gallery
Yep! I've joined the ranks of sock knitters who are speeding to the millenium mark on Jaywalkers.
See me in the Jaywalker Gallery, second row, seventh from the left.
My original Jaywalkers are here.
If I didn't have a million other thigns on the needles, I might consider another pair. But there are just so many socks out there to knit, not to mention other things. Still, you should knit them, if you haven't already.
See me in the Jaywalker Gallery, second row, seventh from the left.
My original Jaywalkers are here.
If I didn't have a million other thigns on the needles, I might consider another pair. But there are just so many socks out there to knit, not to mention other things. Still, you should knit them, if you haven't already.
I seriously need some real content around here
No, seriously. It's coming, I promise. I just seem to have knitter's ADD at the moment. I have so many things on the needles it's not funny. But my mom's socks are almost done, so you'll probably get a FO in a day or two.
In other news, if you want to read about my life, go read other people's blogs. Lorna wrote about the little field trip we took. More and more, I'm beginning to liken myself to a drug dealer, but with yarn. I did some serious pushing this weekend. However, I also bought a lot of chunky, fire-colored thick and thin wool that's going to become a simple felted bag. I haven't done one of those in a while. Of course, it hopped on the needles right away. How does yarn do that?
Also, later this month, where I definitely will bring a camera, I'm going to a conference in Amanda's part of the world. Her part of the world includes the legendary Thread Bear shop, as well as several others. I had really better get some things done before I head out there.
Oh well, conferences are prime knitting time. I really don't feel bad about it, because one glance around the room shows about 50% of the people browsing the internet on their laptops. At least I'm paying attention while I knit.
In other news, if you want to read about my life, go read other people's blogs. Lorna wrote about the little field trip we took. More and more, I'm beginning to liken myself to a drug dealer, but with yarn. I did some serious pushing this weekend. However, I also bought a lot of chunky, fire-colored thick and thin wool that's going to become a simple felted bag. I haven't done one of those in a while. Of course, it hopped on the needles right away. How does yarn do that?
Also, later this month, where I definitely will bring a camera, I'm going to a conference in Amanda's part of the world. Her part of the world includes the legendary Thread Bear shop, as well as several others. I had really better get some things done before I head out there.
Oh well, conferences are prime knitting time. I really don't feel bad about it, because one glance around the room shows about 50% of the people browsing the internet on their laptops. At least I'm paying attention while I knit.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Fugly Friday
Oh, these poor children.
These are from Dale of Norway Dalegarn pattern book #134.
Normally, I adore Dale of Norway, especially their children's patterns. But look at these poor children. They know.
It's kind of cute, in a sad and pathetic way. And then you realize that not even toys, and possibly the promise of candy, can make these children smile in these outfits.
These are the kind of outfits that parents make their children wear, take copious photos, and then bring them out when the child's first date comes to pick them up.
Maybe it's the hats that make it particularly bad, I don't know. I just know this photo makes me sad for them.
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