Making mistakes

In my knitting life I like to knit smaller(but not necessarily less complicated) projects like socks and hats, as opposed to sweaters. There are several reasons for this, but I have realized recently that the number one most salient reason is that there's much less of a chance that I will absolutely hate the way the finished project looks on me. When this happens, I tend to fall into a momentary depression brought on by how long I spent making something that just doesn't work.

This happened with my first cardigan, Mrs. Darcy. The pattern is great. The yarn is one of my favorites to work with. But in the end, it just wasn't meant to be. I think I wore the cardigan ONCE, and while I got many compliments on my work, I was dying to take it off!

The fit was all wrong on me. It wouldn't stay on my shoulders at all. I had no idea what I could do to save it short of ripping back the entire front and redoing both pieces somehow.

I relegated the failed cardigan to the depths of my universe and refused to think about it for about two years. Then finally, I decided to frog the whole thing. At this point, it would bring a sort of catharsis I desperately needed. Aided by the amazing ball winder my husband bought me, I set to work unravelling my hours and hours of hard work.

Soon after I started on a new sweater, loosely based on this wonderful pattern. I love top-down raglan sweaters so much. Being able to make something sized just for me was one of the reasons I got into knitting in the first place!

Sorry the picture isn't great. I will take one with my digital camera once I finish. At this point I have about 3/4ths of the second sleeve to finish.

It feels so great to admit that I didn't like this thing, regardless of how hard I had worked. It feels liberating to have the option to start all over again on something new that I will really love and enjoy!

Hopefully soon I will get up the nerve to do the same thing with my Yosemite. Though it looks great in those pictures, it looks awful on me, I think due to using a totally different yarn and gauge than recommended. I have never worn something so unflattering and uncomfortable. After we move I'll try to get some pictures of the way it turns my torso into a lumpy rippled mess.

I definitely want to frog the project and re-purpose the yarn, but first I want to have photographic evidence for next time I decide it will be a great idea to knit a worsted pattern for size 6 needles in sport weight yarn on size 0 needles... NEVER AGAIN!

The more I learn about knitting, the more there is to learn! How wonderful, and how frustrating!

Skew!

O hai there. I'm going to tell you about the amazing Skew socks I recently knitted for my husband. Never mind that I have since completed another pair of socks, which I have no pictures of. Shh. We won't talk about that.

Project: Skew! from Knitty by Lana Holden
Needles: size 0 Addi Turbos
Yarn: Austermann Step, one of my favorite sock yarns. It has aloe and jojoba!

What inspired me to try this pattern: I was poking around on the Sock Knitters Anonymous group on Ravelry, as I typically do when I am not quite sure what sock pattern to try next and my queue isn't helping me. I wanted something really original and fun. Right now I have gotten to the point where I could knit socks without even looking at a pattern if I wanted to. Well, at least for toe-up socks, which is my preferred method. I needed something more adventurous!

They were originally supposed to be for me, but when I got the first toe done I realized they were way too big. I see there are now some fit modifications for different sizes on the designer's blog, but either that wasn't there when I started or I was too lazy to notice. Oh well, they look great on him. Check out the back!

Why this pattern was fun: Well, look at them! The socks are knitted with decreases and increases placed just so in a way to create a diagonal stripe! Genius. It made me think a lot about how sock patterns are engineered. I really admire the designer's effort and can't imagine how long it took for her to work all this out. Now I want to try some crazy unconventional sock design for myself!

Why this pattern was a challenge: It takes a certain suspension of disbelief to knit away, thinking as you about how this misshapen thing looks NOTHING like a sock! Then after you get through the (very tricky) heel, voila! It's suddenly sock shaped. Much rejoicing was done.

Another challenge is I am used to the ease of knitting two socks at once, which wasn't an option for this. I supposed a very talented, focused knitter that wanted to flip back and forth between pages a lot might be able to do it, at least until the leg (after that the sock is no longer worked in the round). Actually, now that I think about it I am not even sure if this is possible. Regardless, I did one at a time and the pattern was fun enough to keep me going.


What I would change of I did it again: I am not sure if there's anything that can be done about this, but I don't like how to socks bunch at the top of his foot. See?

Not a huge deal, and apparently it doesn't impact the comfort of the socks, but it's the kind of knit-picky thing that drives me crazy. Knit-picky, see what I did there?

I definitely recommend this pattern and am really enjoying seeing what other people have come up with on the Ravelry projects page.

Until next time!

sorry sorry sorry!

I have been terrible at updating recently, for good reason. I got married last month!

Anyway, I don't have much to share but I want to outline some goals of what I intend to do as soon as humanly possible.

• Make a post of all of my works in progress. I think at this moment this is two sweaters and a pair of socks (almost done!) I am terrible at finishing a sweater, and now it's "summer" or Seattle's version of it, so that won't help.
• subpost: the psychological traumas associated with frogging an entire sweater (Mrs. Darcy I am talking about you), and the subsequent relief you get when you finally do this after literally years of telling yourself you would.

• Post pictures of the ribbed lace bolero that I finished some months ago.

• Show you the Skew socks I knitted for my husband. Great pattern!

• Construct a plan for a manly sweater to knit now that Sayer is my husband and I don't have to concern myself with knitterly superstitions. I tend to be more driven when knitting something for someone else so maybe that will help me actually finish a sweater.

• Knit a nice scarf for the rabbi who married us.

• Maybe make a post about how I went on my honeymoon to Yosemite and never wore my Yosemite. Ah well.

I promise I will be better, starting soon!

sorry so slow!

Hi! Sorry I haven't posted in so long, I have been very busy with wedding preparations as I'm getting married May 16th. Yippee!

There are so many things to look forward to when Sayer and I get married. I will admit that one of the things that excites me the most is that I can finally knit him a sweater. It is a commonly held knitting superstitition that you should not knit a sweater for a significant other until you are married or similarly committed. I don't know how superstitious I am, but why risk it? Especially now that I only have two months to go.

I already have some ideas for the first sweater I'll knit him. When we were first dating I knitted him a pair of Genome Socks, loosely based on this pattern by Meema Spadola. I really only used the cable design and put it on a plain sock. He's a grad student in Genome Sciences right now so it makes sense.

He enoys the socks very much, but did point out that a DNA helix is asymmetrical. This DNA Scarf pattern by June Oshiro shows a more accurate and elaborate DNA helix. I was thinking about using this cable and putting it on a sweater for him. Perhaps I'd make a sweater like this sweater (pattern by Kristel Nyberg) and put the cable on coming down over one shoulder.

I haven't even knitted that many sweaters for myself, but that's a whole other post!

I've knitted him two other pairs of socks, with many more in the years to come. I knitted him these Apeman socks from the famous Monkey sock pattern by Cookie A. I also knitted a pair of No-Purl Monkeys for my friend Jennifer that I sadly don't have a picture of. I will work on that.

Also I knitted him these Gentleman Socks (pattern by Kristi Schueler):

AND I taught him how to knit!

You can clearly see the look of fierce concentration.

What else have I done lately, knitting-wise? I finished the socks for Shey, but I'd like to see how they fit him before I post a picture. I also knitted Howl, a sweater for my parents adorable Puguhuahua/Chug, Allie. This pattern is by Diana Rupp and can be found in Stitch 'N Bitch, which is great to have around for reference. I recommend that every knitter have a copy.

My mom says Allie considers the sweater "very suitable for playing catch". Cute!

I will try to get some pictures that show the sweater detail better if she ever stops moving so fast!

Right now I am about 3/4ths done with the Ribbed Lace Bolero by Kelly Maher. Hopefully I will finish it this weekend and have some pictures to share.

Enjoy your weekend!

more nightie pics, and starting some socks for Shey

Hi friends! As promised I have a couple better quality pictures to show you of my lace nightie. I still haven't tried any sort of blocking or washing but I probably will soon. Right now we're still in the honeymoon phase though.

I just want to point out again that if you follow the pattern exactly you won't get the side shaping that looks like mine. That was my touch. I quite fancy it. It also won't be anywhere near as long. I'm pleased with the changes I made when I knitted this.

Now, on to my new project. Socks for my good friend Shey, who is currently braving the Chicago winter. I haven't gotten too far yet but I'm doing the Nine to Five Socks pattern and using Universal Yarns Ditto, which is a tad splitty but okay to work with so far. My gauge was 7.5 sts/inch, not the 8 sts/inch the pattern requires, so instead of going and buying 00 or 000 (!) circular needles so I can do my favorite two at a time magic loop method, I have removed a pattern repeat and cast on 66 sts instead of 72.

So far, all I have are some cuffs. But what lovely cuffs!

I just mentioned that nowadays I really only work socks two at a time using magic loop. I started out like most do using double pointed needles and working one sock at a time, but it really is difficult to start the second sock once you've completed the first. Also, when you work both socks at the same time, you don't have to worry about the socks coming out different sizes or forgetting that you made a slight alteration to one sock and not duplicating that on the second sock.

The first two at a time pattern I tried was this awesome pattern for boot socks. This pattern is great to try if you've never knitted two socks at a time on two circular needles before. The socks go fast since they're boot socks, and the pattern is very well written and easy to understand. The result is super warm, wonderful socks. Here are mine:

My feet are warm just thinking about them! After I made these, I taught myself Magic Loop and now almost exclusively knit socks two at a time on one long circular needle (Addi Turbos are my favorite). You can find a good tutorial for Magic Loop here, or here if you'd prefer a video!

Happy knitting!

Socks socks socks socks socks

By far my favorite thing to knit is socks. I was terrified of knitting socks for so long because everyone told me it was so difficult, but finally in the fateful fall of 2007 I decided I wouldn't let anyone scare me off anymore. I grabbed some Regia sock yarn I had bought on a whim, some size 2 dpns, and the Basic Ribbed Socks pattern by Kate Atherley. One messed up heel and a few weeks later, my first pair of socks were born into this world.

(Please ignore my ankle brace. I tripped and fell off some improbably tall shoes in Bend, Oregon and my ankle was swollen like a grapefruit for months. It's never been the same. Also, I don't remember having a Wii in 2007. What's the deal with that?)

It really wasn't so bad, and the addiction had begun. I decided size 2 needles were too big, and since have mostly knitted socks on size 0 or smaller.

My second pair of socks was made of Koigu yarn with size 1 dpns, following this Knitty pattern. Koigu, Imma stare at you all the time when I go to Weaving Works, and Imma let you finish, but you are the worst wearing sock yarn of all time. I wore them very few times, they were uncomfortable and quickly developed holes, the color faded to a pale imitation of the original, and they're sitting in the back of a box somewhere. Bleh.

See that ottoman? I used to have a loveseat, armchair, and ottoman all in that print. Free from craigslist. So hideuous and very dearly missed. I gave it to a friend when I moved and one or more of her eleven cats peed all over it. Nothing gets the stench of cat urine out!

Other notable socks I have made. I fell in love with the Falling in Love pattern from the now defunct MagKnits. Luckily I think you can still find the pattern on Ravelry. I knitted these super adorable socks when I moved from Seattle to Minneapolis and didn't drive for even a second.

Gradually I became familiar with the basics of sock construction, with a lot of help from the Yarn Harlot's book Knitting Rules! I highly recommend this book to intermediate knitters that are comfortable with patterns and want to hone their skills. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is always entertaining and informative. Once I figured out the different steps to sock construction I started to experiment with freestyling socks of my own. Some of my favorite socks have happened this way.

One highlight were these Manly 80's socks. I love Opal sock yarn very much.

Also freestyled were my Eccentric Socks, when I went on a bender trying to use up all my yarn scraps. These are a combination of Knitpicks Felici and Regia sock yarns that I had left over from two previous sock pairs. That reminds me that I don't have a pair of the Regia socks I knitted for a friend. I hate that. I must try to get a picture.

There's a lot more where that came from, but for now, that'll do, pig. That'll do.

Enjoy your weekends, everyone!

Lace Nightie

Hello! This will be the first post in my knitting blog. In an effort not to bore you with a lot of background right now, I will launch directly into the most recent project I have completed, my Lace Nightie.

The pattern, by Carrie Bostick Hoge, can be found here. I found it on one of my lengthy and meandering perusals of Ravelry, aka the biggest timesuck of all time for inter-knitters.

When I saw this pattern I instantly fell in love with it, but noticed that the projects in the gallery really didn't look like nighties at all. Following the pattern closely creates a lovely garment that's more like a camisole. I vowed to make mine long enough to cover my butt.

I received a big bunch of Classic Elite Premiere from my grandmother and have tried several projects with it, but they've all involved some element of disaster. The yarn is so lovely and soft, it's a double knit 8 ply yarn that is cotton/tencel. I typically don't like knitting with cotton but was determined to make something out of this.

At first I tried knitting the adorable Unmentionables from Knitty. I got gauge and went happily on my way, until I got to the part of the pattern where you were supposed to graft the crotch stitches together. I have a bad habit of knitting furiously and refusing to try on what I'm making until I've invested so much time into something it feels like it's part of me. Moral of the story: I should have tried them on sooner. When I did, they were GIANT. I could probably have fit two of me into them. This is a picture I took of them before I frogged the entire garment. It's hard to post this... makes me want to cry.

Hmph. I'll try to hold back the tears.

But I digress!

Ah, the Nightie. Once I went down to a size two needle, I got gauge. I cast on for the smallest size and got to about where the waist would be before I tried it on. Well, the border fit nicely around my hips, but it became apparent that other than that it resembled a (lovely and soft) orange potato sack. There's either not enough shaping in the pattern or this yarn is horribly saggy, or maybe a combination of both.

I ripped back to the border, figuring it might save a bit of my sanity to not start completely over. Once I started in on the main body I began the waist decreases as they are listed in the pattern, decreasing four stitches every other row.

At some point (I must remember to take better notes!) I switched to decreasing 4 stitches every fifth row. I stopped my decreases once there were only five stitches left between each fake side seam and the lace pattern. I tried it on several times during this process. Finally it looked good! The lace detail was pretty.

Once I got to the bust, I did one round where I increased 4 stitches to offset the drastic waist shaping. It's a bit of a blur how I did the bind offs. As you can see from my finished picture, the straps ended up being much farther apart then on the original pattern due to the size difference. However, I like it that way. I'd never done I-cord before and it was fun. Try it!

It didn't quite look finished so I did three rounds of crochet around the top. Finished! I will try to get some pictures soon of the rest of the nightie. It didn't turn out quite like I expected, but I adore it nonetheless.