Just a little something...

I engaged in a quick little knitting project last night while watching the design-off between Chris and Rami on Project Runway. I have to say that while sewing clothes with human hair sounded gross, the final product looked damn good on Chris's models!


Anyways, I knit this simple little scarflette, (no human hair included) with leftover yarn from this hat, which was fun to work with, though I probably won't again. I like the texture of the thick-and-thin fiber, but found the yarn to look and feel too synthetic. It pills very easy and doesn't wear well, so, I was happy to use up the rest of it for this little project on myself. I closed the scarf with a pin I found in my mother's old costume jewelery box. I am not sure if that's Santa on there, but it's cute either way.


Speaking of Chris's hair-trimmed frocks, I wonder if there are any fiber spinners who have made yarn from human hair? I have read about and seen this book and know that it is possible to really knit with anything from natural animal fibers to dryer lint! Talk about resourceful!

Two Hats Are Better Than One!

My friend Briana, another talented and creative knitter, sewer and baker extraordinare, made this pink stitched hat for our friend Rosemary. Lucky gal!


I went to visit Briana and Rosemary on the Island this week and we engaged in a little afternoon crafting, better known to those involved as 'crafternoon.' I also finished my plated cable hat (which was also for Rosemary) while I was there. We got to do a little photo shoot and assembled some matching attire.



As stated... lucky gal! Good thing she has the clothes to match her new hats!

Politics aside...

I really like Meghan McCain's crazy cabled beret.

Another exciting project to try and make from photographs on the net. Looks like it will be a lot of fun!

(But I'm still voting for Obama.)

cables and craft night.

Oh, how I miss Craft Night!


Craft Night consists of many good things: 1) being with friends 2) eating delicious, homemade food 3) working on our weekly crafts and - when it's in season - 4) watching project runway. I've been absent from the tradition since I moved, and miss my crafty friends so much. But tonight was one of those nights I really would have liked to have their company when tuning into the ridiculous that has become Project Runway! (Christian getting fan favorite! wtf?) So much crying and whining -- the show is much less fun to watch sans the funny comments and observations from my friends. Maybe thats why I haven't enjoyed this season nearly as much as the others. Still, an hour long tv show about sewing clothes... not bad at all.


Oh, and Rosie, the blue cables are for your hat!

wanderlust.

I've been dying to update this blog, really! Since I started working again I've barely had a moment to take any pictures, write any words or, most importantly, finish anything to show you! So, here's one of my numerous projects still on the needles.

These armwarmer(s) are a simple 2 x 2 rib and made with a yarn of such awesomeness that my camera can't seem to capture it. It's Tosca by Lang Yarns, an Italian company. The best part is I found the two skeins in the clearance bin at my local yarn shop -- for only $3 each!

The wool/acrylic blend runs through various shades of green -- all quite lovely. It gives the illusion of subtle stripes or different yarns but it's all the same skein. I thought it would be perfect for making a pair of fingerless gloves that would match, but not necessarily be identical. I've just got to stay motivated and knit them both!


I've sort of been in lock-down position since starting this job. Gone are the days off where I wake up early and have the entire day to do whatever I want. Although, that agenda (or lack of one) was starting to get a bit difficult to handle. Having a little responsibility and order in my life is not a bad thing at all. I just miss the opportunity to knit all afternoon and go on adventures every weekend! But soon enough, the adventures will continue and in the meantime I am trying to maintain a delicate balance of work and pleasure, so that life is always good. If you've figured it out -- let me know!

cable attempts no. 2 - plaited cables.

A few weeks ago I joined Ravelry, the social networking site for knitters. I didn't post anything on it right away, since I wanted to spend more time actually knitting rather than babbling about it on the internet, BUT last night I was having a hell of a time trying to figure out the pattern for this hat, so I decided to ask for help. I posted in one of Ravelry's forums and got responses that recognized the hat as having plaited cables... which I had never heard of, let alone knew how to do! Rather than keep asking stupid questions I decided to look online for patterns and find out for myself. That's when I stumbled upon this lovely blog and got a step by step tutorial -- with pictures! lucky me!

Getting purly with it led me through the process over 9 sts:

row 1: slip 3 on to cable needle, knit 3, knit 3 from needle, knit 3 more, purl 1. repeat.
row 2 + 3 + 4: knit all knits and purl all purls!
row 5: knit 3, slip 3 onto cable needle, knit 3, knit 3 from needle, purl 1. repeat.

Yup! Pretty straight forward. I discovered it's a lot like what I was doing here, only when I tried applying that pattern, for some reason, it didn't look right. I'll be referring back to Nancy's blog for some other patterns and tutorials, too. She's got some great things over there.

Thanks to all the others who suggested patterns and techniques. They all led me to a fun experimental piece. Now I've just got to pick up some yarn to make the real hat and we'll be rolling!

a little something extra.

I found these little felted flowers (2 of them) in the clearance bin at Marshalls. They were less than 50 cents and I think you are supposed to pin them on your shoes. I thought they'd look extra cute on a hand-knit hat.

cable attempts - no. 1

This is the hat I started making BEFORE I saw the enlarged, color photo of the cable knit hat I have been stalking. I made this one up with the tiny black and white newspaper photo as inspiration. It's a bit different, but I kind of like it.


Since the pattern is my own I would be more than glad to share it with you! I'll try to get it all transcribed today. The idea for this hat also came from the simple ribbed hats I made for Nick's brothers and posted recently. I wanted to make more hats like that, but with a little, er, twist.

That Hat!

Check it out... aren't those chunky cables just amazing!?


I first saw this little picture printed black and white in the local Boston newspaper, the Phoenix, of Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, (who are playing here in April in support of their new album. Yayy!) But that cabled hat really caught my eye. I just went onto their website for a better look. The tiny black and white clip in the paper didn't do much justice to those gorgeous golden cables... I've got to make one of those!

Any advice for starting the pattern would help... I am just going to try and make it up as I go!

cold feet

...no more!

I made these adorable Mary Jane Slippers from the pattern on the wonderful purl bee blog. They came out a little bit boxier than I was hoping (because I knit with a larger guage) but are perfectly comfy for around-the-house wear!



I really like how the purl bee's pattern are beautifully photographed step-by-step for us visual learners. I have trouble following directions in general, so having clear photos to illustrated each step is a very helpful way for mastering some of the trickier aspects of a project like this -- like knitting an attached i-cord. Simple as these slippers are, I got to learn a lot while making them!


p.s. it's really nice out today!!

Cool Beanies.

I made these classic, beanie-style hats for Nick's brothers as sort of a belated Christmas present. They saw the one I made for Nick a few years ago and really liked it. I was happy to make them their own!

The pattern is basically the 'Hot Head' hat by Alex Zorn from the Stitch and Bitch book. I changed the pattern by knitting with a solid color yarn and making the hat several inches longer. I like the versatility of the longer hat; to be able to pull the brim down over your ears when it's frigid or to roll the brim up when you want that old fisherman look.

The K2 P2 rib is always interesting to knit with since it's like an accordian and looks SO SMALL when your working on it. I had a fear these hats would never fit the boys who are going to be wearing them, but I finished I was reassured that they do stretch...

...a lot.

January: I lay my knitting down.

It's been awful quiet around here lately.
But I swear I will follow up with some knitting-related posts soon!

Can you believe christmas was less than a month ago? The holidays rush at you so fast with so much anticipation and show, and then poof! they are over and forgotten and January quietly leaves you with a book to read and some time alone. This year, December was a time for making and doing and creating things to give and send and put in my shop, now January is a time to sit in bed and sip my morning coffee and do a little knitting in the afternoon. Of course I haven't been getting much done that way, unfortunately. I have, on a more productive level, been entering some art shows and have had my work accepted to Plymouth's new Russel Gallery. I'm also finishing all the projects I didn't get done before Christmas! I'm going to try and post as much as I can in the next few weeks, just so I can push myself to be a little more productive!

Idea Hunting.

oooo, this makes me want to learn how to crochet!



Pattern for babette blanket found on knittingdaily.com by Interweave crochet!

birthday!

Friday was my birthday, as well as Nick's last night before leaving. We met a bunch of friends in Boston for dinner at Wagamama, complete with Japanese beers, edamame, fire trucks and restaurant evacuation. Yup. All in an exciting night out.


Besides joining us for dinner, my friends gave me some really cool gifts. Rosie stitched me this lovely knitting needle carrier, personalized with my initials and in one of my favorite shades of blue. I had lots of fun filling it with all my frequently misplaced needles and taking photos of it.




And Stacie, knowing about my obsession with both art books and sheep, spotted this perfect paperback when she was in Venice. And brought it all the way back for me!

Just look at these guys!!

Stacie's been in the car with me several times when I drove past the sheep in the field near my old house on the Vineyard. I used to get such pleasure out of seeing them out there with their heads buried in the grass. Now I can gaze at these lovely sketches without risking an accident.

Thanks guys, for some terrificly thoughtful gifts!

Nick surprised me the most with a print I had been admiring from She Hit Pause Studio in New York. I should get a shot of it on my wall where it looks perfect framed and hanging up in the corner near my records, but I've been too busy catching up on my knitting and felting projects I've been neglecting. Stay tuned....

vacationland.

So I've been on a little bit of a vacation lately. Not that my day-to-day life isn't already vacationy enough (I haven't really worked since October, and that may be changing soon.) Since Nick has been visiting on his school break we have made it the point to travel all over New England visiting friends in the city, the mountains, by the sea and even across the border: New Hampshire, that is. Here are a few photos from our snowy encounter before I get back to business.

Nick is that tiny dot beside the trees.

... on snow shoes.

I'm taking polaroids, of course.

It sure is beautiful. But next year, I hope we go somewhere warmer.

Still Learning...

I'll admit it. Until this morning, I didn't know how to cast on. I've been faking all this time. Making it seem like I was an incredibly awesome knitter and knew my stuff. But really, I didn't even know how to begin. Then I watched this video:



Yay! Now I no longer have a bubbly, lumpy, uneven edge when I knit a ribbed hat, which I am doing. Successfully. And correctly, all thanks to the internet!

There are more ways to cast on at this helpful site.

baby its coooold outside.

nick took this picture when we got up this morning. glancing at the thermometer, it's no wonder zoe wouldn't go all the way outside. brrr.

the new years party was a colorful blast. i'll put some pictures on flickr soon. it was wonderful being back on the island for a few days and seeing all my favorite martha's vineyard friends. plus 2 kahoots shows in one night!! what a way to ring in 2008.

Mid-Holiday Update.

Well, it's been an exciting week of visiting friends and family, sleeping on air mattresses, going to parties and receiving cool gifts. I think, even greater than the gifts I got from Nick and my family, was seeing people enjoy the gifts I made for them so much! All the cards, voicemails, comments and emails I received from my recipients meant a lot and made those weeks of non-stop knitting totally worth every stitch.

Now I am taking a break, working a little bit slower, and still enjoying all the visits I have in store. I am finishing up a felted bag and will hopefully put it up in my store at the end of the week. Then I have my mind on knitting these, probably just for me.

Off to the Vineyard tomorrow for the monochromatic party and some New Years fun. Happy 2008 everyone!!

A Very Merry Christmas!

The Christmas cards have all been sent...

things I've finished and things I have not:

Well, today we begin our pre-Holiday visits and are headed to Western Mass to see some friends. I will be bringing these two baby hats with me that my friend will be giving as gifts. I made them with the same organic cotton that I made the first one and even used the same pattern for the one on top. The tan and blue hat, sans earflaps, is from the Stitch and Bitch Book, and also very fun to make!

As for the apron with the bias tape... thats going to have to wait and be completed when we get back. Making the tape is not that hard, just waaay more time consuming than I ever expected. No little gadgets for me! (why would I want to make life easier??) Just a lot of pressing and pinning and swearing (which is typical when I sew). But it does look nice as I start to put it on. I promise finished pictures when I get there, because I think it's coming out beautifully!



see you soon!