Just the Knitter

I am not a stylist. I am hardly even stylish! I do enjoy looking through magazines like "Vogue Knitting" and the boards on Pinterest for styling ideas, but I often do not follow through on such things.  I am happy to be "Just the knitter" of the samples and let other people worry about the styling.

My most recent "knitter-for-hire" job was a sample of this summer poncho for The Yarnsisters. This job had a few firsts for me. First "Vogue Knitting" pattern, and I have to say I was pleased with this pattern - it was straightforward, no errors, nothing confusing.  A bit tedious maybe, but once I got in the groove it was good for SnB or being in front of the television.  The yarn, Zealana Kiwi Fingering is a natural blend of 40% fine New Zealand Merino, 30% Organic Cotton and 30% New Zealand Possum fiber. It is light yet warm.  I did come across a few possum fibers that at first glance I thought were from Jackson's fur - but when I remembered that there was possum fiber in there I was able to ignore that!


Here is the poncho after blocking on my dining room table.


I really could use a mannequin for things like this - or fancier hangers maybe - but it looks much nice on a shape versus being flat on the table.


Here it is on my shape. Please ignore the striped shirt and jeans.  I really am doing my best to imitate the model shot from the magazine, which looks silly but is the best way to show off the lace!


Somebody saw me trying to take a picture and wanted it.  She is way more stylish, always.

A few other notes, while I was knitting this my bamboo circular got a snag in the tip - it kept catching the yarn! I picked up a Knitter's Pride Dreamz circular needle to replace it and I LOVE it! I definitely plan to add more of these to my tools! This project took 1937 yards (!!) so that brings my knitting total this year to 2.48 miles!

Yarn Along - May 9

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? ~ from small things 

Hurray! I finished all the knitting on the Summer Poncho sample. Ends are woven in and it is blocking out on my dining room table - you can see a bit of the lace in the photo. I have no idea as of yet how to shoot the FO - that one is a styling stumper to me. I will post more about it soon as it does deserve a post of its own! You can see I have two yarn cakes wound up and ready to go. The brown one is Manos del Uruguay Wool Classica - I was commissioned to knit a "Deer with Tiny Antlers Hat". That should be fun, as you know how I am with hats around here. The green is a skein of sportweight yarn from Romney Ridge Farm to be a shawl sample. This green is so so lovely - I am really anxious to get started on the All About Love pattern for this one. I spotted a free Kindle book last week or the week before and because it was about a dachshund, I had to grab it! Sasha, Extraordinary Dachshund - I am only a little bit in, but I like it - good pet stories always get me!

Stash Happy or Happier Stash?

I totally lost steam on the "Knit & Crochet Blog Week" - I can't quite put my finger on it. I felt like many of the post topics were either really similar to what has been done in the previous years or were all about participating in a contest, which I just don't have time currently to push my photography or video skills right now. Oh well. For a long time I have been rather stash happy with the yarns that I have acquired. I am lucky to get to try new yarns when I test knit and sample knit - I even get some of them as payment for my knitting services. Lately though I have been doing a bit of drooling over new yarns and I decided to refresh the stash a bit and add a few things. And for the most part I have a potential plan in mind, so I'm not just in collecting mode! A recent update at The Loopy Ewe had Malabrigo Finito and I jumped on this limited run yarn. I was interested in it when I spotted the Waiting For Spring fingerless mitts pattern on Ravelry. I have one skein in "Pearl Ten" for those and then I also have two skeins of "Cereza" for a to-be-determined project. This stuff is like buttah - I hope it knits up that way! I also finally managed to get to my LYS, Madison Wool before picking up the Lorax from school. I was powerless against yarns from Manos del Uruguay. 2 skeins of Serena, likely to become a cowl. 2 skeins of Silk Blend, likely to be a cowl or fingerless mitts. 1 skein of Maxima, probably for a hat, maybe a cowl. I'm on the home stretch now of the summer poncho sample I have been working on monogamously - it's been a fun knit, but I am really starting to feel the pull of other patterns and yarns. For now, they sit next to my computer and current WIP to be eye candy and snuggled with.

Knit and Crochet Blog Week 2012 - Color Lovers - 3KCBWDAY1

Already, it is that time of year again! Time for Knitting and Crochet Blog Week, 2012! Day One:

Colour Lovers Colour is one of our greatest expressions of ourselves when we choose to knit or crochet, so how do you choose what colours you buy and crochet or knit with. Have a look through your stash and see if there is a predominance of one colour. Do the same with your finished projects - do they match? Do you love a rainbow of bright hues, or more subdued tones. How much attention do you pay to the original colour that a garment is knit in when you see a pattern? Tell readers about your love or confusion over colour.

Gotta love color. If you take a look at my stash, my loves are the blues-greens-purples. I like to think I have gotten better - Lorelai ensures that I will take another look at pinks, I love the naturals / neutrals that a lot of environmentally friendly yarns come in, and by my own decision to get out of my comfort zone I have tried to be open to other colors. I realized on more than one occasion while out at a yarn shop or yarn event that every single skein I picked up was some shade of blue or purple. Lately I could say the same for teal, and I am not sure why - I seem to be on a personal mission for "The Teal" - not too shiny, not too green, more blue than green. While I am drawn to the color of the yarn while I am shopping for fiber, when I am looking for a pattern to knit up, the color of the garment is the last thing on my mind! I was browsing last night because when I am done with the most recent sample knit I really want to knit a sweater for me. I was trying to match up patterns to stash and I may end up with a Malibu Blue something, a Purple-blue something or a Navy something. I tend to wear blue jeans all the time, so I am hesitating a little about my yarn choices right now, but maybe that means I just need to expand my wardrobe! #3KCBWDAY1

Spell it out

One of the Ravelry groups for yarn "minis" is having a contest for April. The challenge is to spell out something with your minis. I grabbed the stash of them and have two entries that I submitted. Stashbust This! Seriously now. Aren't we all excited for the minis / hexiflats / hexipuffs / sock yarn blankets / whatever because it is supposed to use up all that leftover yarn? I have one of those extra large ziploc bags full of minis now. And I am not making them very quickly at the present (though I am thinking it might be a good project for the "Ravelympics"). It was fun to dig through them anyway. Hexipuff or Bust! Did I tell you I have decided to do flats instead of puffs? Yea, so I plan to go back to the 25 or so that are puff and pull out the stuffing with a crochet hook, so all is not lost there. After she helped me set these up, the Lorax wanted to know if I wanted her in the picture. So cheeky. Of course kid, get on in there. I think though it was just a way for her to get closer to the minis, especially some of the sparkly ones that caught her eye! I can't seem to get it out of my head that I want a pair of handknit stripey sock, probably because I saw this:

Source: cozymadethings.blogspot.com via Nina on Pinterest

Dude. Use the sock leftovers (or hexipuff leftovers) to make more socks! So stupidly brilliant. This could get me to actually do a mis-matchy pair. I mean, I love the idea of mis-matched socks, but it would bother me. On the whole I come across as a disorganized, clutter-loving person, but still. Like the opposites attract yarn from Barking Dogs - love the ideas, love the colors (especially Lucy & Desi!) but looking at the projects is just too much for me - I can not bring myself to wear one sock that is mostly orange-red and the other is mostly blue. But, random stripey ones might work. Again, possible project for Ravelympics.

Yarn Along - April 11

from small things

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr.

Finally I can participate this week! I have borrowed Science Ink from the library - I have often thought of getting a tattoo, but have yet to actually do it. There are several ideas in my head for what I want, but I keep coming back to the same idea and I think I have settled on what, now it is just a matter of where (and what color?!) With my science background and love of the topic I have often considered a science tattoo, and most of the ones shown in this book are striking. The summer issue of knitscene arrived in my mailbox this week. I also picked up (again) First Meals as Nate has taken to eating solid foods like a champ.

The green is the "Summer Poncho" that is on the cover of the recent Vogue Knitting - now that I am in the groove I feel like I am making good progress. I expect to be splitting the neck within days.

Things have been quiet round the blog, but I'm still here. There just hasn't been much to share lately, though I am expecting some fun mail in the next week or so.

How about a cute baby bunny picture?

This Moment - Haircut

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

In threes

You know how it goes - there seems to be a bit of blogging "meh" going about. I've got it too. I want to blog, but have lost some of the energy for it. Could be life in general, could be work (which involves writing blog posts for others), could be house stuff, could be little ones underfoot that are always up to something. Anyway, I am here today! Not playing in "Yarn Along" because I have still yet to find a new book - my nose has been mostly buried in a "Visually learning photoshop" paperback, but that is not going to go on too many "to-read" lists. You are here to see the knit stuff, and maybe the kids.

I have finished three washcloths that are being sent out in packages.


I have knit three (3!!!) swatches for my latest sample knitting job, the Summer Poncho in the Spring/Summer Vogue Knitting.

The yarn is lovely to work with. Now that I have figured out my gauge, I am a few rows in - it should be smooth sailing.

I am just past the heel on the first Cauchy sock for Dan. The yarn is Spud & Chloe Fine, in the dachshund colorway. I've got three repeats of the pattern across the top of the foot.

I need to put this on magic loop, but have been lazy about going to find that particular needle, so for now, it is DPNs and cuff-down. Old habits die hard.

And a gratuitous cute baby picture.

Someone is on the move. I looked and the nutmeg was on his back, feet on the couch. I turned to look at my knitting, looked back and he had flipped and scooted himself back under this first table (which is part of a set of 3 nesting tables) Also that space is what, seven inches wide? How did he do that?

Hats (part 2)

On Wednesday there was a hat in progress in my "Yarn Along" photo. I mentioned it had me grumbling a bit. Why? This hat was intended to be for the little nutmeg - probably the last cutesy hat I can get on him before he is able to grab them off. I used a pattern I found on Ravelry for a "leprechaun" hat, and it even has a pattern for a beard! How cute! How silly! Then I started knitting it... how... big? Uh-oh. It may have been fairy mischief or, more likely, it was my own loose gauge. Anyway, I hoped that maybe I could get the Lorax to wear it for a photo or two.

It just may be a wee Irish miracle. Without prompting, she has twice proclaimed her love for this hat, wore it to school all day on Friday, and has said she wants to wear it every day. Have we turned a corner with the wearing of the knitting? Is a sweater in the works? Probably not yet, but this gives me a bit of hope.

Hats! (part 1)

When I first learned to knit, I made a lot of those fruit caps. They were easy, quick, and always got a big response. I still love to knit hats. Through facebook, the mom of one my friends got in touch with me, looking for hats for use in baby photography sessions. We talked about a few ideas, but in the end, she left all the choices up to me. Yay! And, uh-oh. Choosing patterns and colors is already hard enough! I think I made some good choices - I did subject the little nutmeg to modeling detail. He's still a pretty good sport!

Here is a Long Tail Pompom Pixie Hat - I liked this one for its use of the thick-and-thin bulky yarn. In this case, the yarn is Berroco Hip-Hop.


Again with the pompoms (because, pompoms are awesome!), this is the Snow Bunny Pom Hat, in Malabrigo (held double) and Lamb's Pride Bulky (I think).

Wouldn't you know that someone else wanted in on the photo session.



I'm thinking "Lorelai" is going to be his first word - that tongue is out all the time as if he's trying to make the "L" sound.

Yarn Along - March 14

Another week, another yarn along!

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr.

(this picture was tricky - Putin is in the picture and just kept staring through the work! Creepy.)

I still have yet to find another book. I flipped through recent issues of Interweave Knits and Vogue Knitting. I did stop to read an article in the Wall Street Journal about the elderly in Japan who are knitting following last year's tsunami. So touching - I have yet to meet a knitting who, in a time of crisis, does not pick up the needles! There really is something so soothing about the rhythm of making each stitch. Their yarn group has a website, Yarn Alive - please check them out!

I am working on several things that have a something in common. ALL the increasing! I had to double 400+ stitches on the rainbow "blob", the green hat needed a brim, and the hexi-flat increased as well. Thankfully, the hexiflat also decreases, so that feels like an accomplishment. The green hat just needs a buckle and has me doing a wee bit o'grumbling (more on that later this week), but oh well.



May your mid-week be pleasant - the weather here is stunning!!

Yarn Along - March 7

from small things:

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading?

For me, February seemed to last a really long time. Maybe because it was a leap year? It ended in a whirlwind though, a very positive one. My reading has been on the back burner. I tried to start In the Garden of Beasts, but just couldn't do it. My parents both recommended it. I am sure at some point I will try it again. I also borrowed Revenge of the Radioactive Lady as an e-book from my library, but I haven't even put it on my kindle yet, so I don't think that one will be read right now either. So what have I been reading? Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett - it is a very sweet book about a little girl who yarn bombs a town! Adorable. The illustrations are wonderful too as the town goes from black and white to color. We were excited to recognize a few items from Jon Klassen's book I Want My Hat Back.

And the knitting. You can see in the photo two little critters. They are two knit monsters from Rebecca Danger's book and are gifts for Ravelry friend. The rainbow blob they are all on top of? That is a new yarn / new pattern for a yarn company, so I suppose that is my "work knitting". It is coming along and the colors are refreshing, hinting of spring that is certainly on its way!

Socks

I love socks. I do love knitting socks but other projects tend to distract me. I still have several single socks waiting for their mates, and I owe Dan a new pair as well. Over the weekend I finished up a straightforward pair of toe-up socks that were a sample for Interlacements in Sweet Feet, a new yarn.

This pair is the "Wagon Wheel Gap" colorway. Very pretty colors in there - purples, golds, burgundy and a hint of green. I was pleasantly surprised to see the subtle stripes emerge as I knit.


I used to consider myself a "Top-down" sock knitter, but after knitting this pair toe-up I might have to revise that. I know the sequence of top-down socks so well: Cuff, leg, heel, foot, toe. I was a bit surprised to find that knitting the sections in the reverse order actually seemed to go by faster! I do believe that I will be giving toe up socks another go - maybe even for my socks in need of mates!

This Moment - Snowman

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

from souleMama



(Have to add this - that purple hat she's wearing? Toasty Topper - a knitty pattern I made when she was 2. Still fits her when she is 4! Good pattern!)

Assorted DIY

I can't show you my knits in progress right now as one is a pile of pieces and will be much more interesting when it is put together and the other is a sample knit in a new yarn. I can show you some of the DIY things I have tried over the weekend.
We finally reached the bottom of the Marshmallow Fluff container. I had spotted a recipe in Make the Bread, Buy the Butter and it looked easy enough.

Tah-dah! It was straightforward, though I did make the mistake of not whisking fast enough. The only consequence of that mistake was that it took longer to get to the final product. Now I know for next time. I made a full pickle jar, plus that mason jar, plus a smaller pint jar full of fluff. It is different from the storebought, but just as delicious - the Lorax and I have each enjoyed fluffernutters with it. Now, if my brother's homemade peanut butter business would take off we would really be set! I am not yet ready to tackle making my own peanut butter, but I really should. Food prices are only going up.

Last night for dinner I tried making these Quick French Dip Sandwiches:

Source: kitchensimplicity.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

I used prepackaged roast beef (again with the food prices going up - roast beef at the deli counter was ~$10 a pound!!). These were delicious and quick, just as kitchen simplicity promised! We all liked them enough that they will be worked into the dinner meal plan rotation. It was salty, but I loved it.

Our master bathroom has one of those huge plain wall mirrors above the sink and I thought this was brilliant. I called my local Mr.FixIt and showed him the picture and let him take it from there. I didn't want to have to fuss with changing the lights, so we kept those the same.

Obviously, this is still in progress - I will be priming it all and then painting the trim and shelves white. I am thinking about maybe a pop of color inside the tower - maybe a different color, maybe mod podge and some scrapbook paper or wrapping paper? I'm not sure yet - certainly pinterest has more ideas? :)

I am sure it is quite clear how much I love Pinterest ()
I just wish sometimes I didn't see great ideas that are dead ends. I can not stop thinking about this shirt -

Source: polyvore.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Can not find it for sale anywhere! I follow the links to polyvore and see it with all kinds of cute looks, and they just link back to pinterest. Please let me know if you ever see this shirt for sale!

Source: store.delias.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

And these sneakers? Adorable! Only available in size 11. I have big feet, but not that big. And I checked zappos too. Bugger.

Have a good week - we've got school vacation and good weather!

Spice Road Cap - Unwrapped

I feel like so many of my knitting projects lately have been under wraps, that is the way of it when you knit for others. One of the projects I recently test knit has been released, so I can share it here!
Presenting TECHknitter's Spice Road Cap:

Straight from the Ravelry pattern page:

Spice Road Cap is knit flat, all in one piece and shaped via short rows. Although the cap is seamed, there is no needle-and-thread sewing. Instead, the welt is constructed using slip stitches and the back seams by a three-needle-bind-off, while the lower brim is added by means of picked-up stitches.

I especially enjoyed knitting this hat with such a unique (and easy!) construction. The pattern is chock full of information about why you would use a technique or stitch (reminded me of the tv show "Good Eats"!). I used a hand-dyed worsted weight yarn from Romney Ridge Farm.

Wrong gauge, still a success!

Valentine's Day is coming up next week. (It's already the middle of February?) New holidays mean new hats! I have had the I Love Mom beanie in my queue for a while, so I took full advantage of a naptime or two, which currently are all over the place and not consistent in their length as he is actually teething now, to work on this "holiday hat". Good thing the hat works up quickly, because my first go at it (with some unlabeled worsted from the stash) in making the 3-6 month size turned out way too big! See?


The second version, using Berroco Comfort DK and the 6-12 month sizing worked out much better.


I kept the first hat as well, and made it a "Dad" tattoo for the Lorax.


This is the first (and probably last) time I have intentionally made my kids "matchy-matchy".

Cute right? Not creepy, or even an Awkward Family Photo. This was tricky to get a shot of the two of them with both in focus - someone is always moving!! This made me think of a photo of my brothers and I that was (professionally) taken way back when - also not an awkward photo, but all three of us are in hand-knit sweaters, made for us by a family friend. Mom found the photo!

I think we were around ages 8, 5 and 3? The woman who made these has 4 boys of her own (pretty close in age to us!) - I wish I could see these sweaters now - I would appreciate them so much more!

Photo Challenged

One thing I enjoy about having a blog is that I feel some sort of (self-imposed) pressure to have good photographs. How do you get good photographs? You could take a class like I did (and would totally take again), and you have to just take pictures. Lots of pictures. I do take a lot of pictures, but wanted to push myself a bit. I challenged myself to a "30 day photo challenge" that I spotted on pinterest. (More on that in a minute). Today I found, and promptly pinned this one:

Source: untangling-knots.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

I snapped my first photo, "in action"

Me, working on a sock sample for Interlacements.

This is not my first photo challenge.

Source: wildolive.blogspot.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Let's ignore the fact that this particular challenge was from August, 2011 and it is was January when I tried it. Let's also ignore the fact that I lost track of it on the weekends and there was a week when my whole house was sick. Let's ignore that I also only shot photos on 21 days.

Practice is practice.