I Haz A Foot

Pattern: Baudelaire Yarn: Claudia Handpaints Butter Pecan





and a sleeve....


Some of you may recognize the foot as the Baudelaire I started/attempted last year for the Tour de Force KnitALong. I got halfway thru the foot and got to the increase part but the increases would've been between the needles (Magic Loop method) and I couldn't figure it out. It wasn't until months later that it occurred to me to move the stitches around so the increases would be on the needles instead of in between. DUH!

By the time I figured it out, the sock was deep in the Closet of No Return. I dug it out to try it again for this year's TDF KAL. I finished the foot! But got stuck on the next set of increases for the gusset. sigh. Maybe next year....


Then there's the Pimlico Shrug I attempted for the Ravelympics. I signed up for the Ravelympics but I think I needed to sign up again and didn't know. I couldn't find me anywhere in the arena's or whatever. Just as well since I didn't finish. I finished 13 of the 36" of body knitting and one sleeve. I'm still plugging away at it. The yarn is Alpaca With a Twist Highlander and I'm in love with it. It's warm and soft and tweedy and lovely to work with! I've been spit-splicing the ends so no weaving in ends except at beginning and end of piece. (A word of warning, this stuff felts super easy! Might want to take extra special care when washing. Just sayin') I have 17" of body now and both sleeves (although I need to redo the BO on the second sleeve, I always forget to bind off tighter when in rib.)

The 16 row pattern is easy and pretty intuitive but after 17" and another 19" to go, it's getting a bit boring! I'm still working on it a bit every day. Our friend (and godmother to our kids), D'Lynn picked out this pattern and also picked/bought the yarn for me to make it for her. I was so excited! I've been wanting to try both the pattern and the yarn forever! I probably won't make a second one for me as I don't see facing another 36" of that pattern, easy as it is. But I definitely will acquire some of that yarn for me!

I know you're all shocked that I have been knitting. I have. Constantly and obsessively. I've discovered I'm a process knitter. Couldn't sleep the other night and worked on a hat I'd cast on for. Working it, I knew it was looking WAY too big. I was too tired to try to rip and do math and re-cast on so I just worked the rib for another... 3 inches. Ripped the following morning and did some math and it's just waiting for me to cast on again.

I can't believe I didn't finish anything for the R'lympics and TDF KAL again!

I haz a fail, Ruth!

Public Service Announcement

It's Knitty Titty Time Again!

We're marking Breast Cancer Awareness month again this year with a Knitty Titty Party on Friday Oct. 19 from 6 to 8 pm. We'll gather to knit prosthetic breasts for cancer patients at Swedish Hospital's Breast Health Center, as well as sip some wine, nibble some goodies and just generally enjoy ourselves and do a little knitting for a good cause.

Bring double-pointed needles in sizes 5, 6, 7 or 8 (whatever you have will do) and we'll provide yarn and patterns. The titty is knitted in the round and requires skills similar to those for making a hat. Click on the photo to see the original pattern at knitty.com (ours is a bit easier).

This is at A Knitted Peace (ph# 303-730-0366).

They will have a crochet pattern as well.

Hope to see you there, Ruth!

Knitting Season

So this starts today.

Which means I'm going to get lots of uninterrupted knitting time! I'm calling this, "Season of the WIP's". I'm going to use this time to finish -

Bamboozle - started about two seasons ago of Lost. Can't watch Lost and do complex stitch patterns (read - anything other then stockinette or ribbing).

Mason-Dixon After Dark Nightie - wanted to finish this by the end of August. Didn't.

Twisted Cherries - technically, this sweater is finished (I've even worn it twice) but I've never like the length. I'm going to frog the bottom ribbing, add 2" of length and redo the ribbing.

Finish a pair of socks - whichever I finish will be my first pair!

Slogalong blanket - This is actually the Moderne blanket from the Mason - Dixon book. Another frog and go project. There was one skein of blue that I bought that is such a different dye lot it looks completely out of place. When I was photographing/rearranging my stash in anticipation of the inlaws moving in, I found two skeins of the blue! It means ripping out 3 skeins worth of Lion Brand Handspun. sigh.

I think that'll keep me occupied during the season. Of course, other projects will be started. Some Christmas gift - scarves and gloves. Not to mention the two new sweaters I'm swatching for!

And then there's this. Wanna play? Sign-ups are going until Sept. 8.
Here's my questionnaire for it.

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it? - Both. I learned to knit in summer 04 and have been obsessed ever since. I learned to crochet when I was four but didn't do it since then until I relearned a year ago.

2. Have you made dishcloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both? - I make them for our house and for gifts. I've also made Swiffer covers and my mom wants a bunch for Xmas.

3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before ? - I'd like to try Cotton Chenille or Cotton Fleece. I usually use Peaches/Sugar 'n Cream.

4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles? - I prefer circular metal. I've got all my addi turbos and have just discovered the wonderful pointiness that is KnitPicks. I'm currently collecting the tiny (US 0 - 3) 32" ones. Saving up for the Options package.

5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much? - I love all colors, leaning toward jewel tones rather then pastels. I can't say I've ever purposely bought orange or yellow, thought I don't have any aversions to them. (Vague much?)

6. What do you like best about Autumn? - The season change. The colors.

7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks! - Pumpkin and Apple. Pecan, not so much.

8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day? - I loved school. My favorite time of year was the buying of the school supplies! I still get giddy when I get a cool-looking new notebook.

9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the timeframe of the swap) - Oh yeah! It's my favorite holiday and I think it should be a national holiday where everyone gets the day (and the day after) off! Even so, I'm not that big on the decorations. Just the dressing up and the candy!

10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose? -
Something sweet, something bread, something cheese. Sweet cheese bread? (ew!)

11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;) - I have 2 little guys (6 and 4) and one amazing husband.

12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why? - I'm a sucker for hand-dyed and/or variegated yarn. It's mercurial changes and unique colors remind me of my moods/personality.

13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths? - Dishcloths

14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays) - Halloween. Definitely! More fun and none of the family tension that forced holiday togetherness can bring.

15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about? - none!

Whippin' out WIP's (theoretically), Ruth!

Swatch Marking

I'm swatching some Garnstudio Drops Alpaca to make the Ogee Tunic from Knitting Nature.




It calls for 23 sts = 4" on size US 4 ndls. It's a slippery yarn on the addi turbos so I'm death-gripping it and am up to size 6... still not getting gauge. As I go up a needle size, I separate and mark as follows...

Started with 4's, switch to US 5, knit one row, next row, knit 5, (yo, k2tog, knit 2) 5 times, knit across, knit one more row. Next row, start gauge pattern for more swatching.


Next section, switch to US 6, knit one row, knit 5, (YO, k2tog, knit 2) 6 times, knit rest of row. Knit another row. Next row, re-establish swatch pattern.


Rinse, repeat. This way you can tell which needle you used in which section without having to use any markers. If you get up to double digits (say US 10), then do two rows with the YO's till you get the number of holes you need.

The problem with this tip is if you're using the metric system. I've got no solution. Except for reverting back to some sort of marker (pinning a piece of paper to it?) or writing your results in a notebook.

Bonus tip: The Garnstudio site has hundreds of free patterns. Knitting and crochet!

In other news, I got the first pattern for the Sockamania Knitalong! Very exciting! Of course, my printer isn't working. I've spent the past hour "trouble-shooting". After I take T to school and put D down for his nap, I'm going to call the HP people. (sigh)

Before I sign off, I want to mention a couple more knitting sightings. These were on TV. Last nite's Deal or No Deal had a 19 year old tennis player and her family was there for support. Did anyone else notice the mom's sweater? I told Dave, "I bet she made that." He bets she didn't. It was really pretty!

The other sighting is from Season 3 of The Shield. The show is actually in season 6 but I've been renting the previous seasons from the library. If you haven't seen this show, I recommend it, but only if you have a strong stomach. It's pretty brutal and graphic with the violence. It's about a "corrupt-cop-with-a-heart-of-gold" kind of thing. In season 3, there's a dog handler that the main character (Vic) hooks up with. When they first show her, she's wearing a pretty sweater. The other times they show her, she's wearing this beautifully knit, longish, shawl-collared, wrap cardigan. It's grey and you see it in several of season 3's episodes. Gorgeous!

Still swatching, Ruth!