Ever since I picked the yarn at Lion Brand's Studio pre-opening, it's been my obsession. Not because it's particularly soft, because it's not. Not because it's easy to work with, because it's not. Really there is no obvious reason to be obsessed, except the color. Which just grabbed me and would not let go.

This is a very intense yellow. It borders on bright curry. It looks sorta sickly in a creepy good way (know what I mean?). The little stripes of greens and browns break up the brightness just enough to keep this color from being completely obnoxious. I love looking at this color and I became obsessed with the idea that I needed a pair of yellow socks for the middle of winter to make me feel bright and cheery.

And I clung to that idea through what turned out to be a very long, cultural tour of New York / New Jersey streets. Let me explain. My sock knitting is usually relegated to the daily commute (grind). And so back in November I embarked on a simple 2x2 rib sock which presumably would be the easiest of projects for crowded subways. Being completely OCD, I also use the subway to listen to books. And in the past, one book usually meant one pair of socks. It's a neat little package: one pair of socks and some literary cultchah'.

This pair really confounded me. I started on size 1 dpns and could not get gauge. Had to rip three times, and consumed "The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz in the process. (destined for Hollywood, this one).

While the book was superb, (rope-a-dope ghetto nerd narrative and heartbreaking loneliness) the socks were not. Too tight, TWICE! On the third attempt, too big! And in the process I broke one of my bamboo needles, I was desiccating the yarn with all the knitting and ripping. Whew. The book ended but the socks were still in their presock state (on the skein!).

After putting a little distance on the project, I resumed and this time downloaded "Lush Life" by Richard Price. A very entertaining diversion, one of those urban cop stories, the narration was particularly in synch with the characters. Some progress on the sock, but still not done when the book ended.

After two books I needed some music. Enter Little Jackie and her new release, "The Stoop" - check that one out if you like your hip-hop combined with Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound"!
Pefect for 2x2 ribbing with attitude. Two more weeks with Little Jackie, some Slumdog Millionaire sountrack and Beethoven's 4th and 5th Piano Concertos and I finally finished.

Man, talk about a journey! The cultural tour was a real delight. The socks, not so much. Now that they are finished, they are a bit large. The heel flap is too long, the toes should have started sooner. In the end, I might gift these over. Besides, he's been eyeing them, asking questions. Seems yellow is high on his list, too.

I Knitted a Feedbag*. *Or a Lightbulb Cozy. Take Your Pick.

Some projects just don't end up they way you envision! This was supposed to be a hat for my Mom at Christmas. Instead, it's a horse feed bag turned upside down. Hey, it's warm, it's soft. It covers the head.

The problem is, I chose the wrong yarn to pull this one off. The original pattern called for pure Angora. Not my favorite to knit with, since the little hairs fly off and get into everything. But that would have made this hat airy and light. Instead I ended up with a giant sodden mushroom. Not chic. Very frumpy.

So, it's headed to the frog pond. Unless someone tells me they need a giant lightbulb cozy.

Spiraling around

Lately there are so many ideas spiraling and swirling around in my head, I find it hard to focus on just one thing. I'm playing with a series of shapes, and thinking about how they translate into useful objects. This project, the Nautilus Poncho may have been one of the catalysts on shape considerations.

We all know what a genius Norah Gaughan is. Her mind works in ways I can only dream of! This project, which had its start as a humble knitted strip gets joined using crochet edges and joins to become a spiral evoking a nautilus shell.

When I photographed the blob that was destined to became the poncho, it was at the transition point between the finished knitting phase and the start crochet phase. Looks sort of like an octopus to me. It was really really long. One endless strip of fabric that started with three tiny stitches and then grows to 22 stitches.

Crochet does not come naturally to me. So I struggled to get this right. It took me four attempts to get it. But that's mostly because the instructions were rather vague. I found myself seeking help from crochet friends, from books and through correspondence on Ravelry. One night, while working the crochet during the Flatbush Stitch n Bitch, Barbara told me she too, struggled with the crochet part. Well! So it wasn't me after all - she's a master knitter!

Turns out, it wasn't the crochet that was the problem, but understanding when to do what - each side has different stitch sequences and it's critical to know when to do them in the right sequence. If you miss this, you end up with a straight sided tube, not a spiral that extends out like a... yea, like a nautilus shell.

I wanted to knit this so I could wear it in the office on those days when the air vent blows down on my shoulders and makes me really miserable. I had a test run this week, wearing it a few days and man, this thing is warm! The bulky wool really packs some power. And this color is useful for an office environment.

There will be few (like maybe just this one) ponchos in my collection, so I am glad I chose this design as the one. The yarn was a real find. I am one who really doesn't find bulky yarns very appealing, mostly because so many of them are loosely plied. Those fat singles look real nice in the skein, but I can't help thinking they will start fuzzing and pilling in about an hour after wear. It is something that really bugs me to no end. So when this yarn went on sale at Webs, I ordered a bit. Then I ended up ordering a whole lot more! In fact, I picked up so many different colors, I had to buy a new bin just to stash it all! hee hee. Look for more projects using this brand real soon.

So, I am pleased with this knit. It satisfied the original objectives - something to keep my shoulders warm in the office, something that was a bit unusual but not so avant garde that it would scare the corporate nerds, something that would hold up to use without getting shabby looking, and something from my existing pattern collection. Along the way, I learned a few things - like the crochet thing.

I bought the book and am slowly, ever so slowly opening my mind to crochet. And while I doubt I will ever end up crocheting baby afghans in acrylics, there are a few interesting patterns that have me intrigued.

And perhaps most important, this project really got me thinking about shapes. I've jotted down a few shape ideas in my pda and have started working on some things I have in mind for future projects of my own design. I credit Norah Gaughan AGAIN, for a really inspiring project!

The specs:
Pattern: Nautilus Poncho by Norah Gaughan
Source: Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan
Yarn: Cascade 109 LE Bulky, Silver
Needle: Size 11 ; hook - my biggest one
Started: December 14, 2009
Finished: January 14, 2009 (my first FO of '09!)
Verdict: Better than I thought; it was shaky for a time.

Kitty Crack

It seems all my friends and family are cat people, not dog people. What's up with that?!
My sister has two dearly loved cats, my friend Rene and another friend at work both acquired new cats for their respective homes.

During a recent Knitting Party at my house, the conversation was definitely heavy on the cat antics. All the cute and silly things cats do. This was probably an effort to counter the effects of my very persistent hounds staring down guests for nibbles, laying around releasing pungent odors, and generally making themselves a complete nuisance.

Hmm...maybe there's something to be said for cats....Ooops, sorry Lola, sorry Rudy!! I didn't mean it, really I didn't!! I just know so long as I have a Coonhound and a Basset Hound under my roof, cats are pretty much out of the question. I mean, I do value the few pieces of furniture and decor in my house. Broken lamps and ripped upholstery are not my favorite thing.

Which is all a lead up to share a recent diversionary project with you, one that came together over the Holiday break. I made up a bunch of catnip mice. Mice filled little packets of kitty crack, sure to make any cat go completely insane.

These were really fun and really easy to make. Once I mastered the basic pattern, I was able to knock them off in about an hour, with a few more minutes to add eyes, nose and work up the braided tail.

I used bits of leftover yarn, knit on much smaller needles for a dense fabric. Then I sewed up the body, stuffed with some polyfill and a tissue filled packet of catnip. Once the body cavity was completely filled, I finished off the seam and used embroidery thread to add the details.

My sister reported that Spike and Flippy were thrilled with their toys and played with them for hours. These are really fun to make and a great way to use up some scraps.

The specs
Pattern: here
Yarn: Cascade 220
Needle: size 5

The Importance of Scale

My friend Marci Senders is part of a wonderful exhibition of textile art at the Phoenix Gallery this month. The show is a called Economies Of Scale - a Juried exhibition of Miniature Works in Fiber by members of the Textile Study Group.

I attended the opening on Thursday night, getting there at the tail end of the gathering. On my way over, I ran into Marci and Daniel who had been there, done that. Of course I was running late, what else is new? And this place is a serious hike over to 11th Avenue, through throngs of Art Gallery Opening crowds everywhere. 25th Street was like a party atmosphere, all the lights blazing, clumps of artists and patrons grabbing quick smokes on the sidewalks, walking here and there.

This show was a real eye-opener for me. The whole idea of doing works in miniature hadn't crossed my mind. Well, duh! When I contemplate fiber related works, whether hanging or not, my mind conjures projects that lean toward the huge. I don't know why really. Maybe because all my past references into fiber art work have been very large and imposing. And my historical references are tapestries like the ones you see at the Cloisters. Everything large, everything hanging. My concepts have been to break out from those traditional approaches by altering the fibers, work with hand spun or hand dyed, modernize the narrative, etc.

So to see this show, where everything was done in miniature stopped me cold. I'd not thought of going small. Maybe I'd have come around to this on my own, in time, but going to the show just accelerated the possibilities. I loved the intimacy that you get by doing small items, things you have to view up close and personal. Many of the pieces were all about the textile, or all about the technique. Manipulations of fiber, materials, technique, that sort of thing. In my mind, some of them were academic because of that. Very nice, don't get me wrong and interesting to be sure and they provided some ideas for me to really chew on.

Marci's piece was one of the few representational pieces and one that also offered a narrative. Her piece tells a story, though it is an ambiguous one. I loved the sly, 'don't believe everything you see' message to her piece. This being one of the main themes in my life, I snorted in recognition! I loved that it was all at once this cuddly little bear and at the same time there is a sinister possibility of something else happening. Ah, don't make assumptions, friend, you just never know!

Marci's piece had so much going on, a text and subtext. Very clever. It stood out among a crowd of beautiful work as the one with the most to say.

At this point I must tell you I have no authority to speak as an art critic. So what I've just said above are merely my opinions after seeing and thinking about what I saw. I am no expert, just gut level response, folks.

Baby got a brand new bag!

Ever since I took up knitting the carry bag has been a bit problematic. I've looked at a number of bags advertised online, but none of them appealed to me, or they were simply too expensive and I'd rather invest in yarn! So it was with great interest that a few months ago while knitting with friends at the local cafe, I spotted a new knitting bag on Stew (Mike). After he demonstrated all its unique characteristics, I knew I had to own one. This bag, oh, this bag caught my fancy big time.

And so when I sat down to write out my Dear Santa list, I had only one wish: a Tom Bihn Knitting Bag. Boy, am I pleased with Santa!

From Seattle, Mr. Bihn manufactures a number of really nice products, all super well designed using sturdy construction. As the story goes, he entered a contest of sorts, sponsored by Knitty.com, to design a bag suitable for knitters. He hit the ball out of the park!

My bag is purple on one side, black on the other. It's a cordura nylon fabric, so it's going to withstand the rigors of urban travel. It's lined with rip-stop nylon which means it can take a beating inside as well. The seams look like they can take lots of stress - great for excessive yarn shopping!

There are clear plastic zip pockets on each side and little loops and attached clips. And it came with a removable project bag, also made of rip-stop and a clear plastic bottom (to see what's inside without having to open it!), and an attached yarn tab to help guide your yarn, reducing tangles. The project bag can clip to either end on the inside, so no matter which shoulder you carry the bag, your knitting is always up front and close. Smart!

But the real benefits of the bag are realized out in the field. Its padded handles reduce stress on the hands. Best of all, this bag does not slip off my shoulders! I have yet to own any bag that doesn't slip, something that I find super annoying. Not this bag. It stays put even when jostled. How's that for an endorsement! The bag's low profile won't jab people in the ribs when getting on and off the train. And it can also carry lunch and other shopping errands at the end of the day. No more multiple bags. Yay!!

While it's not cheap, it won't break the bank. I feel like my projects have been elevated to a new level. No more zip lock Hefty bags jammed into my laptop case. Or shoved into my pocketbook. As far as tools go, this one looks to be a real winner.

Waffles, Mosaics & Swirls

It's New Year's Day. The sun is shining, though the air quite nippy. I made a batch of waffles to celebrate the occasion.

I could spend a few moments looking back on 2008, giving you all the round up of knitting projects, riffing on my accomplishments and failures. But I really don't feel like doing that. Suffice to say my plan in 2008 was to conquer knitting socks. And I did make a few pairs, so that was good.

2009 will take a different form. I have some very specific plans that will build on what I've learned so far and what I still want to learn. In the learning department, there are the following:

- Spinning
- Weaving
- Upholstering (oh, yea....)

All of the above are intended to fuse what I've always loved with what I am learning to love. It's exciting, and I sometimes get that clenched feeling in my stomach when I think about it all at once. I have to remind myself to take it one step at a time, and the future will unfold the way it's supposed to. But I AM listening to that inner voice. And maybe that's what 2008 was really about: learning to listen.

I will leave you with some images captured yesterday, of my Sister with Rudy. The hat she is modeling was one I made ages ago. Back before I chronicled the knitting in photographs. I asked her to bring it along on this trip so I could update the files. I forgot how cute it came out. Turns out she really likes the hat, and so do I. It's a very simple pattern, but it works.

We stepped outside to grab these shots and it was snowing. The snow didn't amount to much, but it made everything sparkly for a few minutes. The hat is made from the now ubiquitous Malabrigo worsted, this one in the Verdes colorway. I also used the yarn to make one pair of the socks above (more like house sock footies). The pattern escapes me, but it's a simple combination of knits and purls and shifting the repeats as you go around, to make the staggered design. My only modification would be to make it a bit shorter next time, but that's quibbling.

Happy New Year, everyone. Thanks for joining me on my little adventures. Your support is deeply appreciated.

Brrrrrrr!

Rudy is no fan of cold weather!

He voiced his complaint loudly this afternoon.

Stickin' with the Plan

My plan for Holiday knitting was to stick with Hats and Cowls. And if at all possible, to use what I can find in my stash. I mean, we are in a bad economy and being one of the vast group of downwardly mobile Americans has made me feel poorer. In better times I was lucky enough to stock up on yarn so now I can hunker down and put it all to good use.

So far, I've been spot on with the approach and I'm knocking off the gifts in record time. Last week's Cowl was so pretty I decided to repeat the adventure. I have an ulterior motive as well.

The Malabrigo Worsted has been in my stash for nearly two years. I made a scarf with two of the skeins, one of my earliest projects.

The other two skeins have been sitting around, waiting for a ripe moment. These cowls are a great way to use them up. With the passage of time I am less enamored of the variegated colors. As I've mentioned, my intent is to go with their semi-solid colors from now on. Yea, I say that now. And the next time I walk into a yarn shop (when the cash allows) I will surely spot some gorgeous skein in a million colors and just have to own it immediately.

So this one is a quick repeat and it's just as purdy as the first. And even after knitting this up, I still have 1.5 skeins left! I predict more variations on this theme...

The next thing up is a hat I've wanted to knit since the pattern came out earlier this summer. Being a huge brooklyntweed fan, I was sure this project would be as much fun as all his other patterns.

The Turn a Square hat is really easy and really fast. This was done in a little over four hours. I have several skeins of Noro Silk Garden in that stash, but I didn't want to break into them since the thrifty me said to use up some scraps of Noro Kureyon left over from the Lizard Ridge Afghan project. And the gray Cascade was a spare skein purchased when I was evaluating yarns. I'm not sure this was the wisest decision.

The hat has a decidedly '70's retro look to it, thanks to the colors I pieced together (lots of spit splicing going on last night!). When I look at it, I am reminded of all those appliances done up in that Avocado-Pea green ubiquitous back then. (do you remember?!?...). I haven't decided if I really like the hat. And it definitely needs blocking, as Jared urges in the pattern notes. It's also a tad too big! Which surprises me because I thought I was knitting it rather tight. The whole time I kept thinking, "wow, I'm moving so fast I hope this isn't too tight" -- I was actually worried about the gauge. I ended up using exactly the amount of yarn specified in the pattern.

What do you guys think? Are the colors a little...um...off? Should I crack on with another one using different color combinations?

Santa v Grinch: The Ultimate Smack-Down

Well, the Grinch wandering on my block trying to wreak havoc on my holiday spirits failed in his mission. Because in the end, the Grinch took the bad karma from our front doors away with him. (Thanks, Daniel for that insight. Thank you all, for your kind support.)

On Thursday evening the Park Slope Knitting Circle got together for the weekly gathering. This week's event was the Secret Santa gift exchange. My little project was to make Diana's wish come true - some slippers. It was just the push I needed to do something new, something I've never tried before: felting wool.

The pattern itself is about the easiest thing I have ever knit in my life! And honestly it could be addicting, because these things knit up in literally a couple of hours. These being the first of what will surely be many more to come, I adorned them with a simple contrast trim. I can imagine taking this further by incorporating stripes, or embroidering on the tops.

The felting was where it got interesting and there's so much to learn. It's subtle because you have to plan ahead as much as you can, but then the process itself (since I have a front loading washer) is a bit more unknown. These slippers were washed in HOT water, COLD rinse three times to get this felted fabric. There are a couple of other settings on the washer and I suppose it would be worthwhile to knit up a bunch of samples and try variations.

Diana seemed quite pleased and I truly hope they fit. She insisted they would. I decided to spruce up the gift by presenting the slippers in a little basket along with a box of sleepytime style tea and a small package of cookies. Sorry I don't have a photo of the whole package, but as usual I put it all together at the last minute!

It was really fun to see all the crafty things that people made for each other. Barbara, a huge D&D fan got a chrocheted dragon. SO cute. And there were lots of neckwarmers, hats, scarves and even a lovely knitted purse.

Naomi made me a wonderful pair of fingerless handwarmers, and just in the nick of time! The weather turned nasty the next day and I've been using them constantly. These are just terrific and I've been lazy about knitting a pair for myself. So warm and cozy. I was thrilled.

The Specs

Pattern: Felted Slippers by Robin Smith(ravel it)
Yarn: Cascade 109 LE Bulky; about one skein Aubergine; small bit contrast Gray
Needle: Size US 13
Started and finished: First weekend of December for the knitting, then washed 3 times over the next 2 wks.

Worth a read

Someone forwarded this to me today and I felt it was too good to keep to myself. I know it's off knitting topic, but it affects all of us, even the worker bees like you and me. Read it and try not to let your blood boil....

http://www.portfolio.com/news-markets/national-news/portfolio/2008/11/11/The-End-of-Wall-Streets-Boom

Letter

Dear Visitor,

Hey, those wreaths on our front doors? Nah, we didn't really need them, no seriously. I mean, the doors look fine all by themselves; that's how they look all year long anyway. Yea, it was a frivolous idea thinking we could spruce up our front by adding some yule greenery. Silly us.

And hey, I don't mind shopping the local church bazaars to find the wreaths, and then working with the Boy Scout troop to decorate them just so. It was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon, so thanks for the warm memories there.

Best of all, I have plenty of time on my hands now. I won't have to waste time picking out the decorations for next year, tossing the wreaths and sweeping the pine needles off front stoop. You took care of that for me, thanks!

And oh, I'm sure you were just thinking it's all in the spirit of giving, that's why you decided to give yourself two custom decorated wreaths. I mean, why else would you trespass onto our property and just take these decorations off our doors?

Yea, so Merry Christmas, Visitor.

Needles on Fire

It was a real knitting streak this weekend. On Thursday we RSVP for an annual cocktail party on Sunday afternoon. Last year I showed up knitless and decided it just could not happen again!

So after work on Friday I got down to business. I needed two knitted gifts and they needed to be fast. Really fast. The first step was to peruse the many pattens I've queued up, printed out haven't tried before. A little stash diving, a little quick comparisons on Ravelry and I cast on for a Birthday Cowl (Christmas cowl?).

The Malabrigo was already wound into a cake. And it's endorsed as a go-to for this particular pattern. By the time I went to bed that evening, it was nearly done. I finished it over breakfast the next morning.

Saturday was a busy day, Mom wanted to buy a new mattress and decided Macy's was the place. How crazy was that - shopping at Macy's two weeks before Christmas for a mattress. When that woman gets a bee in her bonnet....

We plowed through throngs of tourists and holiday shoppers just to reach the elevators. It was a little more sane up in the mattress department (surprise, surprise!), and while she tested beds, I cast on for a hat.

The Marsan Watchcap has been in my queue forever. And I knew it would be a really quick project. It's perfect for a guy and I had some guy-perfect yarn from my recent swatching experiment. The color is called Sparrow, and though it shows as dull beige in this photo, it really reads like lichen on rocks on the top of a mountain.

By the time we returned to Brooklyn I'd stitched up 3 inches. But I was pooped and ended up falling asleep while knitting and watching Persepolis. So Sunday was crunch time and aside from the weekly Fairway run, and some chores, I was a knitting machine. I finished the hat by 4PM and barely had time to get the one photo before completely losing the light and dashing off to the party!

Whew! Two years ago this could never happen. And this is one of those rare times I actually met my 'knitting deadline'. Yay!

Details:
Pattern: Birthday Cowl by Nova Seals (Ravel it)
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted, Stone Chat, less than one skein
Needles: #7 US
Started and finished: about 4 hours

Pattern: Marsan Watchcap by Staceyjoy Elkins (Ravel it)
Yarn: Cascade 220, #4011, Sparrow, less than one skein
Needles: #7 US
Started and finished: about 6 hours
I made some modifications on the hat. The pattern says knit 88 stitches for a large. I knit 96 stitches, in keeping with the 8 stitch sequence. I also knit 10 more rows after the turn. My friend tried it on and it fits, but to me it looked a bit snug. He's a big guy, I suppose 104 stitches would have been better, but it's okay.

Explosion

Folks, most of the time this blog is all about nicey nicey like my knitting and my dogs. And that's just great. But right now I have something to say, and must vent.

Chrysler goes to Washington with the other car manufacturers asking the government for a bail out. Okay but do you remember, a majority stake in Chrysler was bought by a HEDGE FUND about 18 months ago. That same hedge fund has been circling Daimler in the last few months, and if they are successful, it will mean they own the entire company lock stock and barrel. It's all here.

So people, come on. If the government gives them a dime, I think my head will simply explode. When are we going to stop this insanity?

"Mischief springs from the power which the moneyed interest derives from a paper currency which they are able to control, from the multitude of corporations with exclusive privileges... which are employed altogether for their benefit." Andrew Jackson

Okay, thank you. I think I feel a little better now.

Looking back to find a way forward

"It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their own selfish purposes." Andrew Jackson

"She Wore a Raspberry Beret..."

I'm taking a risk by posting this here, since it is a Christmas present. But it's just so cute, I couldn't help myself. And Oh. When I went to name the photos for my Flickr upload, I unwittingly named them after a certain song...but let me say, I hope you don't find this beret in any old second hand store...

This is the same yarn (leftover) I used for the Forest Canopy Shawl. And the same pattern I used for my Turquoise beret made last summer. It was quick, it was easy and it will be appreciated.

The stuffed doggie was the most willing model I could find on Sunday morning.

Project: Portia Beret by Kim Hargreaves (ravel it)
Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino, Raspberry, less than 1 skein
Needles: Size 6 and Size 3
Started and finished: Thanksgiving weekend

Canvas for Millionaires

Today I stopped into Bloomingdale's to stock up on opaque tights for the winter weather. It was across the street from an appointment I had with one of my better accounts.

The sales lady asked me if I wanted to open a Bloomingdale's account. "No, I don't want a card, thank you anyway." It was strange because I think I've heard we are in a credit crunch? The credit markets are frozen? People can't get loans to buy houses, cars, bathroom renovations, younameit. So how come I was offered a new card? If I had said yes, would I waste an hour filling out forms only to be denied (and then they would have all my personal information)? Or is there some sort of alternate dimension in reality. A parallel universe?

Well, I shrugged it off at the moment and left with my $27.00 purchase. Then as I was heading out of the store I browsed the handbags. I saw a canvas bag, rather large, but canvas just the same. No reinforcements to speak of, just a rectangle of canvas sewn together. Oh it was dyed green. And it had the designer name splashed all over it. And that bag, which was shaped like a pillowcase with a strap and a drawstring? It was $165. I kid you not.

I felt like an alien in that store.

A Cowl for the Revolution

About the only thing I can really handle these days is really simple knitted projects. The simpler the better. The smaller the better, too. It's as if the existential anxiety I'm experiencing is seeping so deep into my bones and muscles it renders me incapable of counting, solving simple math problems, overcoming challenges of any sort.

At least it has a name. This thing, this existential anxiety. Putting a name on it makes it real and it also means it's not just me, which is strangely comforting. I was also told that when there is anxiety at this level it often leads to real change. Action. Collective action or progress to a new level. This is also somewhat comforting. Though I suspect the change we really need may take so long to get here the damage will be deep. We need a revolution!!

So while the collective whole gathers the energy it's gonna need for the coming revolution, I knit small things intended as gifts. Here, a little neckwarmer. Very soft, very cozy.

The yarn is Malabrigo Silky Merino, a yarn getting alot of play around these parts lately. I picked up two skeins of this color awhile back and it's been percolating in my stash. I've even attempted other projects with it with little success. Until I hit on this small project. A simple tube knitted with some eyelets to keep it interesting. Just knit around in a circle with a few small blips (or eyelets in this case) and stop when it feels like it's long enough.

The color is called Bosques, which means woodland in Spanish. I like the idea of woodlands, and in this yarn it translates to some deep greens, leading to black and lighter greens leading to pale pale green/beige/yellow. The one surprise is the little hints of blue which come up when this piece is held up to natural daylight. Not sure you can see it in these shots.

The Spanish name and the translation remind me of some woods I explored when I was a small child, living in Santiago, Chile. These woods were in a seaside resort called Vina del Mar, by Valparaiso. The aroma of pine needles, the tall pines piercing a clear blue sky. I still remember those woods and the vacations we took there, with the sea and the pines.

The Details:
Pattern: Stacked Eyelet Cowl, by Amy Madison (used as a guide, I made modifications) ravel it
Yarn: Malabrigo Silky Merino, Bosques, just shy of a full skein
Needles: Size 7
Started: November 28, 2008
Finished: November 29, 2008 - good Thanksgiving weekend knitting

Counting. It's Elemental.

This is shameful. The blog is turning into a running dialog of my knitting foibles but at least this time I have a few photographs. Having a full time job really sucks because it's dark by the time I get home. And if you know me, then you know my thinking goes "if it's not worth doin' right, then it's not worth doin'".

I digress. This is about the sleeves. Oh, those sleeves. Turns out my real problem is.... I cannot count. Nope. I cannot count. Counting is too difficult for me. Or, more to the point, I cannot read directions and count what the directions indicate.

How did I learn this little factoid? Well dear reader, I will tell you. I was nearly finished with the second sleeve when I took another look and this time I read the pattern and realized that the increases were actually correct in the first sleeve. The instructions stated to make the first increase and then REPEAT the same increase 5 more times. That counts as a total of 6 increases every 6 rows and then 8 more increases every 8 rows. OH. DUH. So it wasn't 5 increases, it was 6. And all this time I thought I had made one too many in the first sleeve.

Imagine my relief, though it did mean ripping sleeve #2 down about 8 inches and adding that 6th increase. It wasn't so bad, and I was back on track in no time.

The challenges don't end there, dear reader. Because now I have NO IDEA how to add the sleeve to the body. Which is where I am now. Stuck. This time I decided to just put it aside, ponder it awhile, and let inspiration guide me. Still waiting.

And while I wait, I will knit the small projects to get me through the Holidays. And maybe I should go back to third grade, because obviously I missed the day they taught us to count!

Knitting with no Photos

I am a bad blogger. It's been weeks since my last post and I don't even have photos to show. Sorry! (some projects can't be shown till Santa arrives, you know).

Because the little gifts have to remain a mystery, this will be a update on some projects underway (also photo free thanks to the dreary weather today). But first, I want to thank you all for your lovely comments, I really do enjoy hearing from you.

The purple sweater is moving along, albeit slowly. Everyone on Ravelry commented on how long it took them to knit the sleeves. Maybe they made the same dumb mistakes I made and that's why they took so long. For instance, I knit up the first sleeve in it's entirety. It took forever because of the double pointed needles and I kept having to shift stitches around till I got the right combination to make the pattern flow. Then, when I put the sleeve onto waste yarn for attaching to the body at a later stage, I discovered I'd knit about an inch too long. No big deal, I thought. I'll just rip it down before I attach it to the body.

Then I started in on the second sleeve. I got about 2 inches in, then put it down for a week. Well, that broke my stride. When I picked it up again, I knitted onward without thinking and completely forgot the pattern required alternating a knit row every other row. I kept looking at the yarn overs and they didn't match the other sleeve, but I couldn't figure out why. This was after I'd knit about two hours and was well into eight inches. So, I ripped down, another evening with no real progress. The next morning I compared sleeves again and discovered an error in the first one! Seems I miscounted the increases (no wonder it was a bit snug!). Damn! That means I'll have to rip the first one back a good 2/3 to correct the increase sequences.

Meanwhile the body section is within about 1 inch of where I want it to be. I'll use the remainder of the current sleeve skein to finish that off and then add on the sleeves. I suspect the real slog will be once the sleeves are attached and each row will have over 300 stitches to work as I make my way up through the shoulders.

The cabled coat is on hold. I did get almost through one sleeve. I even have some pics of the dumb dumb mistakes I made knitting that sleeve. This project takes concentration and large blocks of time to make progress. With all the Christmas knitting in the next four weeks, the coat is on hold.

To pass the time on the subway, I cast on some simple ribbed socks. The yarn is from Lion Brand and it's the first time I've ever played with their yarn. They aren't going well, I've had to rip back three times. Sometimes simple just isn't. Sometimes my quest for perfection makes simple very difficult.

So I've been contemplating this notion for the last several weeks. How I can turn a simple thing into a difficult thing because I just want it to be right. In this case, right means fitting well. Not too tight. In the case of the Ariann sweater, my struggle seems to be finding a good rhythm despite the dpns. It feels like I'm there now, but if I put it down again, who knows what stupid mistake I'll make when I pick it up again.

I think the stress of my job, the news, the world, everything is taking it's toll on my knitting. What is supposed to be my escape, my sanity saver is actually making me more stressed. I've had to rip back so much knitting in the last month it feels like I'm a beginner all over again. Maybe this means I'm pushing the skills to new levels or maybe I'm about to have a breakthrough. I don't know yet. Right now I just want it to be simple again.

Does it Count?

Does it count as knitting if I spend all afternoon updating and organizing my stash in Ravelry? Or does it count as cleaning and tidying up? Because somehow I tripped onto a new feature which tracks the amount of yarn used in projects. And I just had to take advantage of it right away. I started by listing some of my older projects (even without photos) and then linked the yarns used to the stash. Little did I realize I would spend all of four hours doing this! And down another rat hole she goes!

I used to be a very organized person. I would take shopping lists with me to the grocery store, I carefully cleaned my house and never let it get too far behind. I alphabetized the CD collection more often than I care to count! I cleaned closets regularly, took out the trash, straightened out the linens. I had lists for everything - movies to see, restaurants I wanted to try, daily things to do. It was obsessive, yes. But I got things done.

Now, the only obsession is knitting. And the lists, the house cleaning, the grocery shopping, all of it has given way to complete chaos. The house is a mess, cooking is haphazard, the only list these days is the one in my head; the one that reminds me of all the undone things mounting up all around me, all the undone projects. It is a monument to good intentions gone awry. A rat hole, yes indeedy folks, a rat hole.