Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Dear Gentle Reader,


Ok, this is so complicated. I have really noticed that lately I just don't "think" about my knitting as I used to. The stitches, the fabric, the craft...blah..blah..blah. I am just knitting.

I knit the back of AIR with no problems. Then came the trouble. (Thank you Jodi for opening my eyes...you know I would have finished, seamed and modeled it without ever really noticing.)

I love knitting the fronts together, as well as sleeves, so when I am done, I am done. You know?

So I started knitting the fronts.
A lovely picot cast on, some moss stitch, yada, yada, yada.
Then the buttonhole row. Hold up.
I have to knit the one side then mark the placement of the buttonholes then knit the other and make the buttonholes to make the placements.

Are you following so far? Good.

Ok, I stop the buttonhole side and begin knitting the side that holds the buttons. I place my markers to set up the pattern (and this here marks the tragedy).
Then I knit...and knit...and knit...

It's like when you are driving...and driving...that drive you always do...and you arrive at your destination not really consciously remembering how you got there. Or better yet ending up in another city. (I know you are amused Dad...but I do remember someone ending up in London on their way to HW)

Has that happened to you?

WELL...that is what happened. I ended the front and started the other side...and finished.

ALL THE WHILE TAKING PHOTOS AND POSTING THEM WITH PRIDE OF FINALLY ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING...AND NEVER...NEVER NOTICING THAT I SET UP THE FIRST ROW WRONG ON THE BUTTON SIDE.

You can't even begin to understand...no...yes you can. I know you can.

It's like listening to a speaker, but not really hearing them.
I was looking at my knitting but not really seeing it.

WHERE WAS MY INNER KNITTER WHEN I REALLY NEEDED HER????

I remember feeling such empathy for the knitter here.

Oh the pain. It has to be ripped back and reknit...and I just hate not having the luxury of time to do this. I could be on to other things....
Like that sock that I had to rip all the way back because of the decreasing mistake...
Or the lace scarf that I made that double decrease mistake on...
Or the mittens that are really too tight...

Yeah, that about sums up my knitting this year.

I know, I know you will all offer words of encouragement.
"Don't hang up the needles."
"Pick yourself up...dust yourself off and start RIPPING!"

And I will...eventually.

But for now...I will lie here...this once prolific knitter...lie here defeated.

RIP
(no pun intended)

Monday, February 26, 2007

Grumperina is that you?

Ok, the funniest thing ever...
So after a long hard day of work, I sit to unwind on the couch and my DH hands me my mail. I quickly toss aside the bills to get to the good stuff...IK Spring 2007.

Me: "OH good...grumperina has a great sock pattern in this issue. She finally has a pattern published in print! Brilliant!"

DH: "Grumperina is in that book?"

Me: "HAHAHHHHAAA oh my you can't be serious!" as I flip through the pages...stopping on page 18.

DH: "THAT'S GRUMPERINA?" (Spoken with such interest...like a new found love of knitting!)

Me: "No. No dear, that is not her. Most of the knitters I "know" don't knit these things...or model them on their web sites!"

So Kathy...firstly BRAVO! What an accomplishment and...if I ever make it to Cambridge, MA to meet up for a coffee and some knitting...he won't be joining us!

Back to the IK issue...there are some patterns that do look interesting.
The socks of course...both grumperina's and Eunny's. Not that I would wear Eunny's Entrelac socks, but I would love to knit them.

I really like the Dollar and A Half Cardigan...but I think I would make the fronts the same...I do like each side, though.
I may knit one of the staff projects...for fun. But I'll let you see it (NOT MODELED) when I knit it;)

The skirt is really cute...I would love to knit a skirt.
I love this little sweater...but I don't like the yarn "double breasted" it seems to add bulk on me.
This is just beautiful.

Like I have time to knit any of those...but whatever...we can dream can't we?

And finally, I did make more progress on AIR.



The fronts are complete (well, not the flap pocket tops yet) and I have started the sleeves. The cuff has some pattern to it then it's st st till the end...it won't be long now.

Did you even notice the "mistake" in the cables? You would have to refer back to the finished photo.



No? ME neither!!

Any wagers as to when this sweater will be complete? I have today and Thursday off...then most evenings with the exception of Friday (so count that day out)....

OH MY GOD!!! I HAVE LOST MY MIND. DO YOU SEE!!!!!!! I CAN'T EVEN WRITE ABOUT IT NOW.
I HAVE BEEN KNITTING THESE TWO FRONT PIECES FOR A WEEK AND NEVER EVEN NOTICED THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF MY KNITTING CAREER.

I give up...I just don't think I can knit and work.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

HEY LOOK...I've been knitting!

I've actually been knitting...not like that olden days when at this point you would be seeing a beautifully hand knit FINISHED sweater...but I am closer.



Air is progressing, slowly. It is a pretty simple knit. I love Kim Hargreaves designs. (go check out her latest baby designs). So feminine with the picot cast on and the moss stitch. I've always had this secret crush on moss stitch.
I am using Rowan's Calmer as the pattern calls for. This is from the stash...remember it is all about the yarn in the stash right now...no new purchases.

Oh, and after that last zipper fiasco...take a look at these lovely button holes...



YEAH FOR BUTTON HOLES!!!
Much better.

Monday, February 19, 2007

That darn zipper.

Zippers...ahhhh. Yeah.

This is what I do...maybe it will help some of you...



First I pin the zipper to the fronts of the cardigan. (Keep the zipper closed) Then I make sure I can open and close it and maybe even try it on.



Now I baste the zipper in place. (hand sew long stitches that you can easily remove...basically it does the same thing as the pins.) This way you don't have to deal with the pins as you sew it in.



Now I sew the outter edge of the zipper to the inside. I usually line it up with a column of stitches and then stick to that same column all the way up.



Turn it right side out and sew up the center of the zipper. Be sure you don't go too close to the zipper teeth...you want to make sure the zipper will actually work!
And voila...the zipper is in. (you can now pull out your basted stitches if you like)

I have had much success at sewing in zipper by machine on dresses...but I have yet to put my knitting under a zipper foot...fear, it's just pure fear people.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Finally...a finished project.

Olive is finally finished.
I am not touching it again...



Started: Oh around December 28th 2006
Finished: Let's say a January 28th, 2007
Pattern: Olive from Simple Knits.
Yarn: Laines du nord dolli maxi
Adjustments: I lengthened the body a little...and that's all I can remember.

Do I love it...well love is such a strong word...I like it...enough to wear it. It's fine. The lumps are pretty much gone...see here...but I think it is the zipper I don't like. The big plastic teeth...no they aren't working for me. I think they are the main cause of the wavy zipper. I really don't want to order a 3$ zipper on line then pay shipping and duty on it.
I just don't love the sweater enough.
I don't love the sweater enough for a 3$ zipper plus shipping and duty...that's sad.

Maybe it is the chunky yarn? I know, I know, I have already said I don't like sweaters knit in a chunky yarn. Last time, really. I have learned my lesson.

More on putting in the zipper this week...

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

My humps, my humps...

Grumperina saves the day.

You saw her post right? She is one of my absolute favourite knitters. A thinker...this girl is soooo smart. Always on the right page...for me.

You know I don't have the time now. NO time to think about knitting. That is why you get the boring posts of late with the photo and the one sentence. I just don't think about knitting as I used to....have faith...I will again.

Anyway, my projects aren't always working out as they are supposed to...yeah, go figure.
I don't have the time to think about the problem and I don't even want to "do it over". So those projects are being unjustly pushed aside.

Well...Grumperina gave me a glimmer of hope. This is fixable...really.
So here is olive as we speak....the first UNFINISHED project of 2007.





Yeah...those lumps...that's a 24" zipper.

And look at it lying flat...



Problems all around.

So, I will attempt a 22" zipper. I think after measuring 23" would be ideal, but I will end the 22" just shy of the collar...that should work.

Cross your fingers...

Monday, February 05, 2007

More mittens...

I fixed my gauge problem for the cuff and have moved on to the colour work...



Oh how I love knitting in colour! I really find it satisfying. Even the smallest amount of progress is promising.

I did knit on our drive to TO and a little on the way back...until we hit the blizzard. Yes, for the first time in my life, I was actually nervous on the 401. I really have driven through it all...but as a passenger...and the recent crashes on the 401...and the fact that you saw people ahead of you and behind you then all you could see was the nose of your car and white....that was seriously scary.
We decided to pull off when we found and exit. The road was also snow covered and we drove by feeling the should warning bumps ( I know they have a name but can't remember now). You couldn't see a thing! CRAZY. After finding out many highways were closed and the rest of our drive was "nil" for visibility...we stayed overnight in a little motel. Yeah...I am not too rested but we did make it safe and sound this morning.

No knitting today...off to work...but with tomorrow's day off, I hope to have something to show you!