Friday, January 31, 2003
I'm so behind in everything this week. I owe emails to people from about a month ago. Plus I had hoped to have sewn the three shirts that I owe Andy by today. I'll have to see if I can do them over the weekend. Had to take a sick day on Wednesday - having problems with my throat amongst other stuff. Just felt generally crappy. I decided to knit a shortrow heel on the blue sock only to find that the main body of the sock wasn't long enough so the heel had to be ripped out. The sock now fits properly and the heel is done just have to do a couple more inches on the cuff and then cast on its mate. Just read about Kate's Fuzzy Feet Felt Along. I was hoping to take part but I won't be able to get hold of a 60cm 7mm circ in time so will have to leave it. I shouldn't really be thinking about starting a new project anyway since I want to have the blue socks ready for Paris. Gusset holes in socks My first pair both have gusset holes which I'm going to duplicate stitch over - read that tip on the Socknitters email list. Using a short row heel seems to avoid that problem as long as you pick up a few stitches in the gaps between the needles - ie the gusset - from the second row. If you picked from the first row you'd have holes again. I read this somewhere on Socknitters and it's very easy, just make sure that you decrease the same number of stitches as you picked up within the first full round. I picked three stitches and then K2TG (knitted two stitches together) three times. More cool stuff arrived this week including a wonderful box of sock yarn from Martina, fabulous knitting needles from KCG Trading - very cheap Addi Turbos there, dichroic glass beads from Studio Sararuna and some books from Amazon.co.uk. Still waiting for the Anny Blatt pattern book to arrive. Hope it gets here before we go on holiday. Monday, January 27, 2003
  Both socks are now finished! I just have to weave in a couple of ends and darn a little eyelet that was created after I picked up stitches for the gusset. I used Opal Mexico 15 and Mary Moran's Simple Sox pattern on two 2mm (US size 0) circular needles.  My third sock! This is from a pattern created with The Sole Solution software from Needletrax but you could use Lela Conrad's Lace Top pattern and just knit the cuff plain. It has a rounded "easy toe" as opposed to the pointed short row toe in my first pair. In case you're interested it's in Socka 9059 - a variegated blue yarn - and I'm using 2.5mm (US size 1) circs. Look at Ginn and Bonne Marie's wonderful socks! And the sock goddess herself Wendy! Sunday, January 26, 2003
The second sock is almost finished! Just have a little more to do on the cuff. Two of my sweater UFOs (Unfinished Objects) are made from very chunky wool - Colinette Point Five and Rowan Big Wool. My Big Wool cardi has really fluffed up (Pilled) after wearing and I've been obviously disappointed by this. I read on Melissa's web site a great tip for knitting chunky wool with a strand of mohair. Apparently this stops chunky yarn from pilling so much. So now I'm faced with a bit of a dilemma - should I frog the two jumpers and reknit them with mohair? They're both about 90% done. I know they wouldn't take long to reknit but the prospect does feel a bit demoralising. Sunday, January 19, 2003
 Clyde models the Colinette Isis scarf I made last year. And doesn't he look happy?! I should explain that Clyde is the top cat in our house. He's very well known locally as he used to visit many houses and get his claws under various tables. Clyde is very cheeky, demanding and loveable. For the moment he seems happy to stick around at home but I don't know how long that will last. Since he's twelve it could be that he's feeling his age and has decided to take it easy. But I don't know about that! A lot of cool things have arrived this week including my first subscription copy of Bust, Vogue On The Go "Socks 2" book, a grab bag of Cherry Tree Hill yarn in blues and purples, Quilting Arts calendar and the Bernina Fashion and Imagination book. It was the second time that I'd ordered a Cherry Tree Hill grab bag from Hand Paint Heaven's January Sale and I was a little nervous of what might be in it. Last year I'd ordered the greens and blues mix and while high quality yarns arrived I wasn't too keen on the colour mix. But that is the risk that you take and I could always over dye some of it. Anyway this year I've got two skeins of Rustic Silk in very nice colours and a small hank of 14 ply New Zealand Wool in black. I'm hoping that the rustic silk might be enough for a sleeveless summer top. I suppose I could always combine it with a skein in a contrasting plain colour to make it go farther. I have 600 yards so far. I've almost my first sock just need to cast off in rib. Second sock is on the needles but there's still a way to go yet. It's such slow work with these teeny tiny 2.00 mm needles, how I miss my super chunky yarn on 12.00 mm ones. Tuesday, January 14, 2003
I just bought an Anny Blatt pattern book from France with the help of the Babelfish translater. Most of the ordering process is English but the country list and the payment bit is in French. That would have been a real eek without Babelfish since my French is crap. I bought the Autumn pattern book. My favorite design is an unusual twin set called Lori. We're going to Paris in four week's time! Can't wait! I'll be able to visit La Droguerie again! And Bon Marche! Also if my pattern book has arrived by then, and it should have, I'll be able to buy yarn for it! Saturday, January 11, 2003
Things like this make me sick. No wonder women feel crappy about their body image with this going on. Friday, January 10, 2003
Last night I decided to have a look through my sweater drawers since I'd been wearing the same cardigan nearly all the time. However when I looked in there all I found was basically worn out stuff that's only good enough for gardening. I probably only have two jumpers and four cardis which are decent enough to wear to work etc. This is mainly because I find it difficult to find things that I like in the shops which is why I sew, knit and make jewellery. At least I don't need to feel guilty about buying yarn anymore although I really do need to finish things now so that I can wear more than these few items! Sock - It's going very well. I turned the heel while watching The West Wing tonight and was very pleased with myself! I'd been a bit scared because I didn't think I understood the heel pattern at first but it was very easy. I'm now ready to knit the gusset and that requires picking up stitches! Argh! I've been avoiding having to learn how to do this for ages. But I want to finish this damn thing so I'll just have to do it. Wednesday, January 08, 2003
 The Winter issue of Knitters mag finally arrived yesterday. I saw it in Barnes and Noble when we were in San Francisco in November and nearly bought it. Didn't expect my subscription copy to take this long to arrive. Saw a pattern for an easy kimono style cardigan which looks perfect for the silk/wool mix yarn I bought in Art Fibers. I actually have 30 yards less than the pattern calls for but I think it should be enough because I'll have to shorten the sleeves anyway. Also the new issue of Beadwork came in the post today. Lots of nice patterns in this one. Also noticed that most of the examples in this edition are photographed on knitwear. Monday, January 06, 2003
I must learn to knit faster the sock is making slow progress but I've haven't spent that much time on it. I am using 2mm needles (size 0 US) so that probably adds to it. The next pair I make will be on 2.25mm (size 1 US) instead and in a Regia yarn. Something purple I think. I wasn't too keen on the current sock's colours as I knitted it originally but as it progresses it looks better. I'm using a self patterning Opal Mexico yarn. Watched Ring 2 on DVD tonight. Saw Ring, the original Japanese version, just before Xmas and wasn't that impressed. Ring 2 is much better, more eerie. Can't wait to see the US remake, it's had good reviews. Sunday, January 05, 2003
Went to bed at around 3am last night. Watched a so-so movie starring Linda Hamillton as a female homicide detective. Before that I made my way through a Law and Order night that Channel Five had just before Xmas. Took me about two eps to unzip my appalling attempt at a temporary crochet cast on. The toe is now complete, just need to knit the rest of the sock. While surfing I found this toe-up pattern for two needle socks using Regia. It has an interesting lace top and features what looks like an easier toe. Now to finally sew up the wrist warmers! Just looked at the ball of Fortissima Colori that spawned them and there's more than enough for a matching pair of socks. This was the very first sock yarn I ever bought. Saturday, January 04, 2003
Still working on the short row toe of my first sock. Not sure I'm handling knitting the wrapped stitches too well, they don't look very nice on the right side of my knitting. Have just found this on the wonderful Socknitters site. It refers to heels but it's all about wraps on short rows so that's good. Late last month I won one of Bonne Marie's auctions for a Bucket-O-Chic hat kit. It arrived yesterday and I'm trying not to look at it because I should focus on the sock. However if it's not contemplating other projects that distracts me from existing projects it's reading other people's blogs! Does this happen to anyone else?! I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks "Oh, I'll just have a little surf around the knitting blogs or the fiberarts blog rings. I'll just read a couple........" and then suddenly it's two hours later and I've been busy looking at other people's projects instead of working on my own. Hmmm I've already broken that resolution I was thinking of making haven't I? See that's why I never make them! Friday, January 03, 2003
I persevered with several attempts to knit a sock on New Year's day but each time I managed to screw it up. I tried both circular and dpns but in the end ribbing defeated me. I kept picking up stitches, how sad is that! Anyway today I decided to try again and found this pattern from Needletrax online. It's called Simple Sox and is a pdf doc so you'll need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it. I'm still on the short row toe shaping but it seems to going well which is a good start. I'll let you know how I get on. In other knitting news I'm still working on the Fandango sweater and think I will be for a while as the socks and finishing other projects take up my time. Meanwhile I must stop coveting even more sock yarn. I so don't need it! Wednesday, January 01, 2003
I tried posting several times after midnight but there was some sort of problem with Blogger. Perhaps too many people were posting or something but I do have Blogger Pro and am supposed to have preference over free blogger users. I ended up having to copy my blog entry and paste it directly into my blog page on Dreamweaver. It's not quite the same! Yesterday the latest issue of Belle Armoire arrived. I love this magazine and the new issue has a feature on knitted bags. These are knit in a combination of variegated and eyelash yarns. I think one of them will be on my to do list! As is kniting socks Bonne Marie had sock knitting in her resolutions list yesterday. Like her I have a huge stash of sock yarn, enough to make more socks than I actually need. Most of it is wonderful Regia or Opal or Socka bought from either Judy's store The Knitter or Wollywood in Germany. Twice I've attempted to knit socks, the first time I stopped because I couldn't knit ribbing properly - that's now sorted thanks to some wonderful people on the Knitting Novices email list - and the last time because my knitting was far too loose. I have dpns, I have Addi Turbos, I have no excuse. Was just looking at even more sock yarn but can't possibly buy anymore, think I'll cast on today. I'll try the addi turbos again, only in a smaller size, first. Hopefully get some work done on my coat too. But that will all be after I try and upgrade my cable modem from 600K to 1MB.
It's been a good year. I've met some amazing people both online and in RL, I've learnt new skills, got a permanent job and even a new computer! I don't really believe in making New Year's resolutions but if I had to make one it would be to stop beating myself up over how much crafting I manage to get done. I've just had a New Year kiss from my beloved and fireworks are going off in the background so - |
