Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Stashless...

Before I get into ranting and raving over this blog's title, I would like to share my FO's and my WIPs!!!

First up is my Baby Top. Love it. I can't wait to have a little one to put it on. Was contemplating giving it to you, T, and my godbaby, but it's got so many oop's in it, that I would be too embarassed to give it away. But I love it just the same.

Next is some of the yarn I bought at IKnit. It's DK Merino Undyed. And That's only 2/3 ok. So I dyed it...using Koolaid. Took me an afternoon. I'm so happy with the results. There's 450 yards of it, and it's going into something knit for me, so now I just have to figure out what...It knits up really cooly (I know, not a word) on size 6 needles across 20 sts in Stockinette Stitch. I did a swatch to see what i had :) The blue and green knit up as solid stripes alternating with the white and burgundy as varigated stripes. It's awesome. There's more white than I wanted, but as it's only my 2nd dye job ever, I think it turned out perfect :)








I finished a bracelet (no pic at the moment)for Lindsay for her birthday (which was in July, I'm late). And this earring frame. I can't wait to give it to her. It's a mini Modern Log Cabin blanket by Mason-Dixon. Great pattern.

This is a WIP but so darn close to being a FO, so I'm gonna call it a FO for the moment. I'll post finished pics later. This is my Leafy Cardi for mom. I am completely done with it with the exception of the collar. And the collar is giving me a headache. I think I'm to the point on this pattern that I just can't mentally correct any more problems. Seroiusly, God bless Calista for being patient with me. I think the only section where I haven't ran into an error or crutial info that was omitted was the front left. Sigh. I have everything sewn up and done, except the collar, and the buttons. But I haven't even bought the buttons, so that will be on the to do list for tomorrow's outting.

I've started on Daddy's pullover. It's about 12 inches into the back (I need 25 for that piece) and it seems to be going very quickly. The wool is a bit rough to work with, but the fabric is coming out soft and you can feel the lanolin still in the wool, so I'm pretty sure it will soften up more with a good hand wash. No pics though :)

I'm trying hard to get my Juliet/February Lady sweater done. It's taking up 2 of my interchangeable cables, and I need those bad boys. especially for the collar of mom's sweater. The lace I picked for it is knitting up very quickly (I'm 2 1/2 inches in) and is easy to memorize, so hopefully it'll get done fast. I shouldn't work on stuff that isn't Christmas, but i need those needles. I guess I could put it on scrap yarn.... (not a current pic btw)

Adam's hat is coming along. It's been on hold for a little while, but I need to work on it as it's a super simple knit and seems to go quickly if you can keep the tiny balls of colorwork in order...Here are pics of my favorite thing on the needles....These are my lacy stockings from the Vogue Knitting Spring/summer 2009 issue. Love them. But they are so far back on the back burner that they won't get picked up again until after Christmas is over. The only socks I need to be working on are the ones for Matty. I still have the original Frat Feet sock so I'm going to give the 2nd one another try. 3rd time's a charm, right?

So on to my ranting a raving.

I read a post from some random person on Ravelry about being stashless. About only purchasing yarn for a specific project, and not getting more yarn until that project is finished. Now, as you can tell, I don't have that will power. But apparently many people do as there were many many commenters on how fantastic it is to have zero stash. They were ragging on us stashers. Now, I have to admit that I like to de-stash every once in a while. Really sit down and give purpose to some of the yarn that I've purchased. But I can't even imagine not wanting a stash. I adore being able to go upstairs, pull out my stash and touch yarn I haven't felt in a while. I puchase yarn that I believe is beautiful. It's color, fiber, ply, it's just beautiful. And when I buy it, sometimes I have an idea of what it's for, but more often than not, I just want it. I buy what I can afford, and then I find it's destiny later. Or I love getting a knitting magazine or book and finding a pattern that I have to have RIGHT NOW, and it's awesome to go upstairs and find the wool/cotton/silk that makes that pattern perfectly mine. I don't always have to go to the LYS (which is good b/c the owner hates me) and hunt up what I want before I can CO.

To each his own, I suppose. Everyone works differently, but I can't imagine wanting to be stashless. It would be like a painter going out to purchase paints everytime he wants to recreate the sunrise....

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

IKnit take 2

Off to IKnit Weekender in London this weekend! Woooohooooo! This is the same convention I went to last year to see our dear YH, but sadly there isn't anyone on the schedule who I'm aching to see. Nevertheless, I am pumped and mentally ready to go! Physically is a whole other story, however.

WHAT DO I TAKE TO KNIT???????

Last year I worked on a pair of socks for Brett. Black wool. Apparently too itchy for him. They've been ripped out. Oh, well. Gave me something to do. I have a bizillion projects that I should do that day, but most of them are color work, bulky, or have intricate charts.

I thought about knitting those same socks for Matty (obviously bigger) as I'm having issues with the second frat sock. If I cable them, the cables don't look right on the second sock for some reason. If I don't cable them, the sock looks sasquatch big. Thought about ripping them out all together and making an afghan for him or something out of the yarn. But I have the black wool to use and I bet Matt would wear them. Even if they're hot. Maybe.

Wanted to get my juliet top finished to wear on Saturday, but I doubt that's going to happen. First off, I finally am getting the first sleeve for mom's birthday present accomplished. I say accomplished, not done, as it's taken me 4 times for it to actually work out. The first 2 times are pattern issues. The 3rd time was a Carli issue. So I tackled it a 4th time, this time marking the chart as I work the stitches. Much better. Hopefully I will get through one sleeve tonight...cross your fingers. Secondly, there just isn't the time. I could knit on it like a crazy woman to get it done, but as I have too many other presents that NEED done to push that hard on one that doesn't NEED done. I should be pushing that hard on Mom and Adam's presents. Not a convention top.

We'll see.

Well, off to knit and nurse a headache. Lots to do before we're off to London!