Sock Time!

I've been knitting like a crazed knitting banshee lately! Though I've had the attention span of a goldfish with ADD. I've worked on the G.R.O.A.N.S coathanger cover, AIDS Baby Vest 2, even the stitch sampler bedspread. I've been in a more experimental mood lately. But mostly I've been working on my Socks! Here is the finished sock no.1* (right) inside out waiting to have the ends woven in. On the left is the start of sock no.2. I have just finished the 26 rows of ribbing and am ready to transfer it onto double-pointed needles:

Normally, a person would knit the whole sock on DPNs, but I read a great tip a few years ago saying that the ribbing (or everything down to the heel really!) can be knitted on a straight needle, and then the seam sewn up later. I really prefer doing it this way, because:
a) I hate using DPNs to knit purl rows. I find it very awkward and can't be bothered practicing until it goes more smoothly. Life's too short!
b) I hate knitting with DPNs full-stop! They are a pain in the arse! Not to mention in your stomach where they stick into you. The less I have to use them, the better. (Now I'm wondering why I bother to make socks at all?!)
c) It's easier to see where you are up to and follow the ribbing pattern.
d) The cast-on end of the yarn is far enough away from your live knitting when you do transfer to the DPNs that it doesn't get mixed up in what you're doing and piss you off.
The only drawback is having to sew up the seam when you are finishing the socks. But the cast on yarn end is already there and you already have thread it onto a needle to weave it in anyway, so it's not a huge inconvenience.

Here is sock no.2 at the heel stage:

What a nightmare!

Yes, I know, it looks like the cat puked on my instructions and I stuck a whole bunch of knitting needles in it, but I know what I'm doing! Mostly. I made a pair of socks from this pattern once before, many years ago, ended up with the most horrible, vomit-inducing, blood-chilling pair of socks known to man. This was not the pattern's fault. It was because I'd used bargain basement black acrylic and had never used DPNs before. Yeah, I tend to bite off more than I can chew sometimes. The pattern, however, was technically perfect and easy to understand. So theoretically these socks should turn out to be just fine. Hmm.

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* Not that it was all smooth sailing until that point!:

Sock no.1 with dropped stitch. Picking up stitch with crochet hook and many gasps of horror.

Bloggy Stuff

I have been thinking a bit about my blog lately. I've been reading a lot of other blogs in the last couple of months, and I've been getting Blog Envy again. All the other blogs are so pretty and professional-looking, and mine is ugly and has crappy, un-artistic pictures and no touching and insightful revelations from my private life at all! It just sucks!
So I was tweaking with the colours, etc the other day, and I realised that my blog is set so that it won't come up in searches. I didn't realise or had forgotten that. I can't decide whether to leave it like that or allow searches. It would be great if other knitters read my blog and posted comments and gave me blog love, but then I would have to reciprocate and love them back and I'm just not into that sort of thing. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are lots of wonderful, warm and caring people out there in the knitting-blogosphere, but I'm really bad at replying to my friends' emails, let alone someone I've never even met! So I think I'll leave it as-is for now.

Speaking of the blogosphere, there's this thing called Frappr now. You can set up a map, and people log on to the website and put 'pins' in the map. All the cool kids who have podcasts or blogs are doing it. I think it's a really good idea. The maker of the map knows how many people are listening to/reading their stuff and where in the world they are, and the pin-pushers can add their little 'yay, I like you' message while still remaining relatively anonymous. (And anyone who knows me knows that anonymity is my bag, baby.)

Sorry, I'm digressing pretty seriously here. Back to MY blog. I think I might change the format. I can't get rid of the grey background no matter what I do.
Also, yesterday I was thinking of reducing the size of all of the photos I post from now on. It's not fair on any readers to have to download huge photos when they're so crappy! But then, this morning Boy was playing with my camera, and he said, "you know, this has a close-up function?" And I said, "WHAT??" "Yeah, all you have to do is press this button." I mean, DUH!!!!, I've only had it for about 5 years!
But then again, I got it for free second-hand, and there was no manual, and I'm not the type of girl that needs to know what every button does now, am I? *twirls hair around finger and bats eyelashes*

I got so excited, that I ran around taking close-up photos of everything!:

Speaking of Boy, after much trawling earlier in the week, I found a pattern for a reversible cable scarf [Warning: PFD file] that he approves of (well, he approved of the picture pretty heartily anyway). It looks like one I would enjoy doing as well. Though, looking at the pattern, I don't know how the back will come out looking the same as the front. *shrugs* I'll do a swatch on the weekend.
Now that the pattern is decided, I have to find the yarn! Boy is allergic to wool. This is a bit of a problem. He also expressed a preference for a blue colourway and variegated yarn. (He didn't actually use either of those terms, I have to point out! He's more the computers-and-woodworking type). I've heard rumblings before that cable patterns don't look very good when done with variegated yarns, but there are some really great tweeds and flecked yarns out there as well, so perhaps I can compromise.
My first mini knitting shop foray didn't go so well. At Clegg's they had a gorgeous blue yarn flecked with reds and greens, but it was 100% wool. Everything else I looked at was too. At Lincraft, they didn't really have any flecked tweeds, but they did have a gorgeous soft alpaca blend. I SMSed boy to ask if he was allergic to alpaca. Strangely enough, he wasn't sure. It only came in solid colours, though, so I'm leaning away from that. I looked at the Zhivago as well, as that has some variegated colours as well, but the choices ran more to the orange and pink end of the spectrum rather than blue.
I haven't able to get to any more shops since then, but it's given me something to think about.

It has been 11 days since I last bought yarn.

Oven on = warm kitchen

Yesterday I baked a Banana Bread! I only just had the presence of mind to take a photo of it before it was all eaten:

The recipe said to add walnuts, but I added some sultanas and crushed almonds instead. It give it an interesting testure. It's yummy with a little butter. Very soon it will be no more.

Oh, the Shame!

I just did something very very naughty! I was looking around the blogosphere (for lack of a less well-used term) and I found KnitSimple magazine. It's put out by the same people that make Vogue Knitting, and it's apparently aimed for the knitter without much time (i.e. me) so it must be all right. (Well, it's more about instant gratification for me, actually, and a short attention span. But I digress).

I had seen this mag before at MagNation*, and it looked pretty good, but it cost $19.95. Which I totally balked at. I mean, I think charging $14.95 for VK is a bit steep, even though I bought it. So when I "accidentally" clicked on the subscribe button, just to compare the pricing, and saw that it was only $30 US for an international subscription (i.e. $9.16 AUD per issue), I "accidentally" entered my credit card details and pressed the confirm button. I really didn't mean to. But I've had so many frustrations when it comes to knitting magazines lately. Don't get me started on Creative Knitting! I'm just looking for something that is good and not disappointing. (Or too expensive.)

Yeah, I know, I keep wanging on about how everything is too expensive. I'm starting to think I should start calling myself The Pov Knitter. But I was brought up in a tradition that saw knitting as a way to make practical items and save money, and perhaps even make money. My Oma grew up during the Depression and World War II in Holland. She saw some pretty desperate times. The crafts she passed on to me were not supposed to be something that you spend all your money on. Sure, I sometimes spend a moderately large amount of money on wool or patterns, but the thrill of finding a bargain is all part of it too. To know I knit myself a scarf is amazing. But to know I knit it myself and it only cost $5 adds just that little bit of extra pride. Oma would be proud.**

Moving on, I have been looking at my list of patterns to use for Boy's Scarf, and not being able to decide. Then I thought, 'why not ask him what he wants?' So I showed him 3 photos from The Harmony Guide to Knitting Stitches. He chose the cable pattern. So now I'm on a hunt for a reversible cable pattern that I can modify for a scarf. Or even better, an actual scarf pattern. I only had one suitable pattern in my quite sizeable pattern collection, but I want a couple of options to present to him, so I'm currently trawling the net. Meanwhile, I'll leave you all with a nice random pic:

Lacy cap reminiscent of a testicle***




* Please don't misunderstand me. I think this shop is great. It has an amazing array of mags, great coffee, and a 'sit and drink coffee and copy out patterns for as long as you like' policy. And it's open til 10pm.

** Actually, that last sentence is an in-joke in my family when it comes to bargains. *sheepish grin*

*** Actually, I have to apologise about this. I found this picture when I did an image search with the words "knitting with balls" (it's a book, okee?) on google. I assumed there was some kind of reference to testicles, seeing as the hat was round and pink. Ahem. When I read the page, I found there was a separate reference to the book, and the hat had nothing to do with testicles at all. Ahem. *goes red* It's actually a really good blog called Pink Monkey Knits. It's really good, check it out.
... And, I actually want to make the hat myself! I've been looking for a lacy beanie pattern. Then I too, will be wearing a testicle on my head. I hope that will make up for the insult.

*stops now before any more damage is done*

A promise is a promise

Boy has requested a scarf, and with the weather getting colder, his poor neck is looking pretty bare. So I have decided to get on with it!
After a lot of hummming and haaahing over what pattern I should use, I thought I should be methodical about it, so I drew up this list:

OPTIONS FOR SCARF

1. Double Stocking Stitch
(A reversible fabric which shows at stocking stitch on both sides. It's actually like two sheets of knitted fabric worked at the same time and intertwined at the edges. From the Harmony book of Knitting Stitches 2)
PROS
- thick and spongy (well, the swatch was anyway)
- looks good on both sides
- 4-row pattern may be quite quick to knit up
CONS
- difficult to do with just one colour without stuffing up (might be able to do it with 2 different but matching colours)
- swatch had untidy edges (may be ok with practice)
- 4- row pattern requires concentration but may become boring quite soon

2. Basketweave Stitch
(A pattern which makes what looks like chequers of stocking stitch and reverse st st)
PROS
- easy stitch
- interesting stitch
- looks good on both sides
- probably quick to make
CONS
- fabric may be quite stiff (would need to use very drapey yarn)

4. Circular Tube
(A 'tube' made with Double-Pointeds, pressed flat and sewn together at the ends)
PROS
- looks good on both sides
- double layer will be thick
CONS
- very boring and annoying using DPNs
- can't be 'folded' flat easily as there's no seam running from end to end (could use slip stitches to get around this)
- may take longer to mae

4. Double-sided Cable Pattern
(There are some cable patterns which are designed to look good from both sides, perfect for scarves)
PROS
- interesting stitch
- looks good on both sides
- may be quite quick
CONS
- don't have a pattern for it yet! (I've seen a couple of them around though)
- could be very complicated and take a lot of concentration (at least it won't get boring)
- fabric may be too stiff (will need very drapey yarn)

5. The perfect pattern
PROS
- it's perfect
CONS
- haven't found it yet. I don't know if it exists at all!

Sorry no pics today. I'm at work. Gotta go.

Actual stuff

Guess what? I'm not all hot air! All this talk about making a pair of socks - well, I've actually started one:

Needles a-kimbo!

I know it all looks pretty crazy, but double-pointed needles always do. The pattern is one I copied out years ago from a book called Homespun Kandknit: Caps, Socks Mittens and Gloves by Linda Ligon, which was at the State Library. It's just about the simplest turned-heel sock pattern you can get. It's still pretty hard though!
I got a little bit excited and finished about 2/3 of it before I took a photo of it. I'll document the other sock a bit more closely.
Speak of the other sock, I'm worried I'll come down with the famed "Second Sock Syndrome" that all the cool kids are talking about in their podcasts. Just when you've finished a lovely, amazing, fantastic sock (or mitten or ear warmer, etc) and are busy admiring it, it hits you! You have to go to all the trouble of making another one before you can wear it! D'oh!
That's why I got such bright, shiny variegated wool. I'm hoping it will keep my interest for long enough to complete the pair.

I've gotten a couple of knitting books from the library lately:

1. right: So Simple Knits / Hilary Mackin. Creative Homeowner, 2006.
The projects in this book range from the bizarre to the just plain fugly. A cardigan with large multi-coloured wooden beads around the neckline, an ankle length coat made with such large needles it makes the model look like a little kid wearing her Mommy's jacket.... Actually, there are a couple of interesting-looking projects that I'm going to photocopy - a two-tone tank top and a scoop neck jumper with lacy edgings.

2. left: No-Pattern Knits / Pat Ashforth and Steve Plummer. Milner Craft Series, 2006.
This book puts forth the intriguing craft of modular knitting, i.e. knitting small shapes (squares, diamonds, triangles, etc) and attaching them together to create any kind of project you like. Unfortunately, the name is a misnomer - you do have to follow patterns, it's just a different concept of a pattern. It's the kind of pattern that involves a ruler and a pencil and paper and a calculator, and a large supply of erasers. Actually, it's a pretty interesting concept. It's very similar to patchwork. Personally, I'm not the kind of person that would be caught dead wearing a patchwork garment but hey, everybody's different! I think some cushion covers, toys or even a hat would be very worthwhile. The book really encourages the reader to think laterally, work with different materials, textures and design their own projects, which is great. At the end (like a grand finale) there's an amazing jumper made of pale green diamonds that look just like leaves. It's so different to the thick, gaily bright, gartery consistency of the rest of the book that it actually made me gasp. The construction looks like a nightmare, but I'll photocopy it anyway and keep it for best.

3. middle: Alterknits / Leigh Radford. Melanie Falick, 2005.
I was quite excited when I picked up this book. It just looks so gorgeous. I suppose it was inevitable that I'd be a bit disappointed after going through it. A lot of the projects are just fairly standard patterns with a little something extra, like some ribbon threaded through, or fabric paint applied. Some are quite different, like a cardigan made of various panels of different colours and patterns, or a crown made of crepe paper. The exercises are supposed to make you think outside the square (e.g. choosing random needles, wool and pattern to make a swatch with).

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Rant: things that annoy me slightly #262:
I do have to say at this point, cause I've seen it in a few books lately:
it's hard enough to find felting wool at a specialty yarn shop, let alone old jumpers from op shops that will felt. Generally, commercially-made jumpers are made especially NOT to felt! So therefore finding 8 to 10 of them to cut up, felt and make a blanket, etc out of is not going to be an easy process! Heck, even finding jumpers that are made of any kind of real wool and not acrylic is gonna be kinda hard! I feel so sorry for the poor sods who don't know much about felting and are gonna wash their old op shops jumpers 20 times before they realise it's not gonna work.

It'll all end in tears. That's all I have to say at this time.

Bad, bad girl!

I had a pretty crappy day today, so as a treat I bought myself this:

It had some moderately amazing patterns in it. I was particularly attracted to the lacy tops. But reality didn't kick in until I got home - can I really wear a white top full of holes to work? I don't think so! Yeah, I could wear another top under it, but that would involve spending money on it and making sure it's clean, etc. I have a few tops like that, and they're a bit of a pain in the arse. I am looking for the perfect top pattern:

* no lace
* short sleeve or tank
* not too hot
* fairly large gauge so it doesn't take forever
* not too low-cut or high-cut
* no halternecks
* made for a pear-shaped body (there seem to be a proliferation of tops designed for booby women right now!)
* not totally fugly (I'm really liking that word right now)

The quest continues.

More worryingly, I bought more wool yesterday! D'oh! And to make it worse, it was gross, cheap acrylic and all! I'm so ashamed of myself, I couldn't even be bothered getting it out of the bag:

Stash of shame
One of the balls was for a pair of socks (fairly optimistic, considering I haven't even started my first pair yet!), the rest... meh, I'll think of something. Maybe.

This obsessive act has moved me to establish my own 'yarn diet' pact in desperation. Not only am I trying to save up to travel, but I'm seriously running out of room. So here are the rules I have written up. Wish me luck!

KATIE'S KNITTING DIET, WINTER 2007

CLAUSE 1 - YARN

1. The 'knitting diet' will last from 20th May 2007 to 20th August 2007 (3 months).

2. I will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:
A. I may buy yarn for a specific gift for a specific occasion, only if I truly do no have enough suitable yarn already.
B. If I am already knitting a project and run out of yarn, I can buy just enough yarn to finish that project.
C. I may purchase yarn if the price is unbelievably good - i.e. 50% off or more, AND if I can think of a specific and realistic project for it.

3. NO acrylic under any circumstances!

4. I am allowed to accept gifts of yarn.

5. I may NOT look at the knitting yarn section of Ebay under any circumstances.


CLAUSE 2 - PATTERNS

1. See point 1 above.

2. I will not buy any pattern books, leaflets or magazines, except for once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. However, they MUST be patterns that I may realistically knit projects from.

3. I may borrow books from the library and photocopy them.

4. I must make every effort to fully catalogue my pattern collection during the stated time.

5. See point 5 above.

ADDENDUM: I may make a wishlist of 5 books and 5 projects, and I may purchase ONE (1) of each after the diet period is over.