Appley Dapply

Blog Do-Over

2010-10-10T13:49:00.001-04:00

I haven't blogged in ages mostly because I've been over on Ravelry keeping track of all my knitting but I've been knitting a lot more lately and decided to revitalize this blog. However I've renamed and redesigned it and moved it to here:

http://www.kimleyknits.com/

Happy knitting!

No Willpower

2008-06-01T13:41:00.004-04:00

Well, I had intended to try to finish at least one more WIP before starting another new project but who am I kidding...

I bought the Victorian Lace Today book and yarn for this project quite a while ago and then got too intimidated to start since I'd never done any lace knitting before so I (wisely, I think) did a few easier lace projects first and now this seems like a piece of cake.

It's the "Scarf with the No. 20 edging" (pg. 84 for those with the book) and I'm knitting it with Alchemy Haiku yarn which is much like Rowan Kidsilk Haze but slightly less expensive (at least at my LYS) and I'm happy to say that it's actually a bit softer - much less itch factor than the KSH.

FO-Misty Garden Scarf

2008-05-24T13:01:00.004-04:00

I'm focused on finishing up some WIPs so here's one I started last year.

PATTERN: Misty Garden by Jo Sharp from Scarf Style
YARN: Brooks Farm Primero (bought at Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival)
NEEDLES: Addi Turbo lace needles size US 6

This was a super easy lace pattern and I love this yarn though it's not quite as soft as I'd like and not recommended for those with more sensitive skin. It's slightly scratchy. But the colors came out beautifully. I've not been very happy lately with the way a lot of my variegated yarn knits up but this one worked beautifully.

FO-Fountain Hat for Heidi

2008-04-27T16:04:00.004-04:00

Catching up a bit on the blog...

Here's a hat I knit for my friend Heidi. I loved knitting with this Optim yarn! It's so soft and the finished fabric is just wonderful.

PATTERN: Fountain Hat by Katie Himmelberg from Interweave Knits Spring 2008 (freebie on website)
YARN: Chameleon Colorworks Evolution in the October colorway
NEEDLES: Knitpicks Options Nickel Plated US size 4 circular needles

I knit this using the magic loop technique with my new Knit Picks options needles. These needles are pretty nice - similar to Addi Turbos but of course significantly less expensive. The join isn't as smooth though and at one point, my join got loose (probably my own fault for not tightening it enough) and my yarn got stuck and that was not fun! But overall, I'm really happy with this set of needles and they come with cable caps so you can easily remove the needles for another project when you want to put something on hold.

FO-Monkey Socks for Mom

2008-04-26T13:14:00.004-04:00

I actually have more than one finished object that I haven't blogged about yet! So, here's the first one. A rather belated Christmas gift for my mom (I gave them to her at the end of February...) Everyone loves Monkey socks! I'm still working on my own Monkey socks but hopefully those will be done sometime soon.

PATTERN: Monkey by Cookie A. from Knitty Winter 2006
YARN: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock - Lightweight in the Puck's Mischief color way
NEEDLES: Addi Turbo Lace US size 2

FO-Fetching Mitts for Janel

2008-03-09T13:52:00.005-04:00

Well, I've been woefully neglecting my sad little blog here. Life sometimes gets in the way of the fun stuff but I have been knitting a bit. Although it was gift knitting so I couldn't blog about it right away but now I have some stuff to show.

Here's one new FO - Fetching Mitts for my dear friend Janel. These mitts are such perfect gifts. They are quick and easy and everyone loves them!

Some of you may notice that Janel is wearing a Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival T-shirt - yeah, she's a fellow fiber geek! It's always fun to knit for those who really appreciate it.

PATTERN: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath from Knitty Summer 2006
YARN: Knit Picks Andean Silk in Lettuce
NEEDLES: Takumi Bamboo DPNs, US size 6

Rhinebeck Report

2007-10-21T20:11:00.000-04:00

The NY Sheep & Wool Festival - aka Rhinebeck - was a lot of fun. I got up at the crack of dawn which for those of you who know me is not something I do with any zeal. It better be something pretty damn good to get me out of bed before the sun rises! And it was...

I took the bus up with the Big Apple Knitters Guild. We got there around 11am and the festival was in full swing. I suspect quite a lot had already been sold out!

I managed to do a bit of damage although I wasn't quite as crazy as I was at Maryland Sheep & Wool fest. I found myself both overwhelmed and underwhelmed at Rhinebeck. There was so much stuff that I had a hard time deciding what to buy but on the other hand, I didn't really see a whole lot of stuff that I hadn't seen before so there wasn't that "I better buy this or I'll never see it again" feeeling.

Here's what I managed to stuff in my bag...

A much needed large niddy noddy. Now that I'm wheel spinning, my one yard niddy noddy isn't big enough for the large skeins I get from the wheel. This one is a basic Ashford. I'd hoped to find something a bit more interesting but couldn't find anything else that I liked. This one wasn't expensive so it will do until I can find something groovier.

Some spinning fiber:

From Cloverleaf Farms:
Merino-Tussah in "Red"

Merino-Tussah in "Purple"

Merino-Tussah in "McKenzie"

From Foxfire Fiber & Designs:
Really heavenly baby camel tussah silk - this stuff is to die for. It was expensive so I only bought 2oz. Yummy!

From Brooks Farm:
Acero (superwash wool/silk/viscose)

From Golding:
A .45 oz purpleheart pinwheel spindle. I didn't have any really lightweight spindles so now I can attempt some real laceweight.

And, of course, the obligatory critter sightings...

And don't ask me what this Roo was doing there but he sure was cute! Anyone ever spun Kangaroo fiber???

New Project-Endpaper Mitts

2007-10-19T20:54:00.000-04:00

Well, I had such a flurry of blog posts and then dead silence for over a month! What can I say. I freelance and suddenly got a ton of work... Plus my camera decided to act up on me so I've been having trouble getting good photos. But here is a new project that I started a few weeks ago. I joined a KAL on Ravelry and immediately got behind. I've been wanting to try my hand at colorwork so this seemed like a nice small project to start with - Eunny Jang's Endpaper Mitts:

This is also my first time using Koigu - mmmmm, nice! I'm still having trouble getting the tension even while working with the two yarns so this is definitely a learning experience. Not sure how much I'll get into colorwork but I like to at least try things.

Tomorrow I'm going to the NY Sheep and Wool festival in Rhinebeck! I'm a little worried about melting my plastic. It's a good thing I've been working a lot lately!

New Project-Habu Kusha Kusha Scarf

2007-09-14T11:37:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been enamoured with all things Habu! If you're not familiar with them, they are a Japanese textile company that makes some of the most luxurious, intriguing and unusual yarns. Most people seem to start their Habu experience with the Kusha Kusha scarf kit since it's a small project and not too expensive ($24 U.S.). And it uses their silk stainless steel yarn and who wouldn't want to check that out!

The silk stainless steel yarn is much softer than I thought it would be and has a lot more drape than I thought it would but at the same time you can sculpt it into a myriad of shapes. It's endlessly fascinating. Check out this video from Amy at Knitty

A few blog entries with Habu content definitely worth checking out:
- Fluffbuff's photos from a recent Habu trunk show.
- This amazing Kushu Kushu Jacket from Knitsane.
- This beautiful scarf from coloursknits

Fruit Loops and Seamist

2007-09-12T12:43:00.001-04:00

FIBER: 80% Merino/20% Tussah from Chameleon Colorworks
WPI: varies but averaging about 10-13wpi
YARDAGE: 214 yds.

This is the first semi-decent handspun I've made on my wheel. I don't know the name of the colorway (Janel?) so I've named it "Fruit Loops" since it reminds me of the cereal that I haven't eaten since I was in the single digits. It's still pretty uneven. The second bobbin was much thinner and more consistent and you can really see the difference in the two plies. But these colors are so crazy bright that it just makes me smile.

This is what's on the wheel now:

This is another merino/tussah blend that I bought at the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival from Cloverleaf Farms. The colorway is called Seamist and I just love it!

FO-Wisp Scarf

2007-09-10T15:17:00.000-04:00

PATTERN: Wisp by Cheryl Niamath from Knitty Summer 2007
YARN: Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Heavenly - less than a skein
NEEDLES: Addi Turbo Lace in US size 6
MEASUREMENTS: 8.5" wide by 57" long

This was a super easy knit and perfect for summer since it was so light weight. I had about 85-90% of one skein left of the Kidsilk Haze and I tell you, you get a lot of mileage out of one skein of this yarn. I would have liked the scarf to be a tad longer but I had trouble ripping the Kidsilk Haze from my previous project so I wasted a bit on that. Lesson learned - make sure you know what you want to knit with Kidsilk Haze as it's nearly impossible to frog. It's also a bit difficult to work with at first but once I switched from regular Addi's to the Lace Addi's that helped enormously and eventually I got used to the yarn. Other than that, it's a beautiful yarn.

The edges came out a bit wonky. I'm not sure that I used my new blocking wires properly. But I think it's a pretty scarf and will be nice for early Fall and Spring.

Just Add Water

2007-09-09T18:38:00.001-04:00

I finished knitting Wisp yesterday and now I'm blocking it with my fancy new blocking wires which were an awesome b-day gift from my dad.

Earlier today I plied up my two bobbins on my spinning wheel and here it all is soaking in the water. And can I just say that I will never ply on a spindle again! As I had hoped, plying on a wheel is so much easier. I still have plenty of love for the spindles - just not for plying on them.

A bit of spindle spinning

2007-09-05T15:17:00.000-04:00

In case you think I've neglected my spindles for the fancy new wheel... This is all of the Funky Green merino/tencel fiber - spindle spun and ready to be knit. I still love the spindles too! I ended up only getting 368 yards so not enough for any of the lace scarves in Victorian Lace Today. But that's OK. I've got plenty to make the Branching Out scarf from Knitty. First I need to finish Wisp which is almost done.

Slowly but surely

2007-09-04T17:30:00.000-04:00

It's starting to look more and more like yarn! I've finally got to the point where I've got a decent rhythm going and am not stopping and starting. I figured out that a large part of my initial problems were due to not having my drive band and scotch tension set properly. I was having trouble treadling and the yarn was being pulled in much too quickly. Now I've got it working so that I can focus more on my drafting. It's still uneven and I still need a lot of practice but I feel like I made a big leap now that the settings are better suited to my needs/skills.

Feeling a bit more confident, I moved onto another fiber - this is a merino/tussah blend from Chameleon Colorworks (of course! - it's good to have a friend in the fiber biz!)

I've got 4oz. of this so I split it into two batches of 2oz. and will hopefully use this for my first plying effort. Stay tuned :)

Monkey Trouble

2007-09-03T11:09:00.000-04:00

I've got a good start on my second Monkey sock but look at that horrible pooling of the variegated yarn! I was really happy with the way the yarn worked in the first sock but the second one is coming out completely different and I'm really not happy with it at all. I'm tempted to rip it and start over but I don't really know how to make sure it doesn't just pool again. I'm not sure if it's pooling because I started in a different section of the dye sequence or if I'm knitting at a slightly different guage or something else. Very frustrating! And I just love the first sock. What to do. What to do...

It sort of looks like yarn...

2007-09-02T15:32:00.000-04:00

OK, so this is the first stuff I've spun on my new wheel that even remotely resembles yarn. It's still pretty uneven, over-twisted, under-twisted and all those fun things that beginning spinners do. And I'm still having a lot of trouble getting a good rhythm going but it's a great improvement over what I was spinning at first.

My New Baby!

2007-09-01T13:21:00.001-04:00

Well, I finally got a spinning wheel! This was an incredibly wondeful b-day gift from my mom and I just love it. It's a Lendrum folding wheel, single treadle. I still can't spin anything on it even remotely resembling yarn but I'm stubborn and plan to be spinning many skeins of beautiful yarn - eventually...

Number One Monkey

2007-07-29T11:17:00.001-04:00

I finished my first Monkey sock and I just love this pattern. It's pretty easy but has enough going on to make it an interesting knit. And I love this yarn as well - Acero from Brooks Farms. I have to say I'm becoming a big fan of Brooks Farms yarns. I'll definitely be searching them out at Rhinebeck.

Now my Monkey needs a friend so I better cast on for the second!

R.I.P. Diamond Lace Scarf/New Project-Wisp

2007-07-27T14:52:00.000-04:00

I definitely needed to rip my diamond lace scarf - one, because I made a bunch of mistakes and was having a hard time tinking the Rowan Kidsilk Haze and two, I was just bored with this pattern. It was not rockin' my world and I learned what I needed to learn.

Plus, I found another pattern I liked so much more (the dangers of Ravelry!) that only required a mere skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze (although I have a tad less than a skein but enough I think). I've started Wisp by Cheryl Niamath of the Fetching Mitts fame.

Because I only have a little less than a skein, I've made mine a bit smaller, casting on only 38 stitches instead of 46 and using size 6 needles instead of 7. So far, this is a great summer/brain-dead knit - lightweight and super easy to knit.

To Rip or Not to Rip

2007-07-27T14:42:00.000-04:00

I've knit some more on my Misty Garden scarf and was having serious reservations as to whether or not I liked it. I was pretty close to ripping it but thought I should give it another test blocking to see what I thought and now I'm actually pretty happy with it.

The first time I test blocked it, I kept the top straight when in reality it will be scalloped like the bottom so I think that made a big difference. Now I can really see the stitch pattern emerging and I just love, love, love this yarn!

Very Handspun

2007-07-23T12:03:00.000-04:00

From this (Blue-Faced Leicester from Chameleon Colorworks):

To this:

To this:

This is my attempt once again to spin a thicker yarn. It's about a worsted weight and I've got 54 yards so far with about 1.5 ounces left to spin. Hopefully I'll get enough to make a funky hat.

It's ironic but I'm much better at spinning thinner yarns than thicker ones. I seem to have much more trouble with consistency when I spin a thicker yarn. Not that it is always a bad thing. I still think the yarn came out nice and I frankly like that my yarn looks "handspun". But there are a few places where the twist really started to come out when I was plying so I still have much to learn.

And plying - fuhget about it. I still have so much trouble plying - always getting my yarn tangled and a big mess. I threw away several tangled masses this weekend...

If I actually needed any more motivation to plunk down the $$$ for a wheel, the plying issue is certainly motivation enough.

Funky Green Goodness

2007-07-17T18:56:00.000-04:00

I've spun up a little less than half of my Bonkers tencel 'n merino and I'm loving it so far. I used my new Spindlewood spindle to spin this up and I really love this spindle. I'm definitely going to buy some more of their spindles. I had originally planned to make this two ply but I didn't like the way it looked plied so I'm keeping it as singles. Hopefully it will knit up OK. I've got about 170 yards so far in lace weight to fingering weight yarn so I'm hoping to have about 400 or so yards when I'm done spinning.

New Project-Misty Garden Scarf

2007-07-14T16:17:00.000-04:00

So, the rule is that as soon as you finish a project, you get to start a new one, right??? Well, I have to confess that I never really bother with rules! I cast this on about a week ago. The yarn is Brooks Farm Primero and it's just stunning. The color transitions are really beautiful. The photo isn't doing the colors justice.

The pattern is the Misty Garden scarf by Jo Sharp from the book Scarf Style. It is a nice easy feather/fan lace pattern that couldn't be simpler. Although my yarnovers seem a bit sloppy to me and I'm not sure why so I'm trying to figure that out. The test blocking I've done definitely helps so maybe a proper blocking will help make the pattern a bit sharper looking.

FO-Rib and Cable Socks

2007-07-14T14:02:00.000-04:00

PATTERN: Rib and Cable Socks by Nancy Bush from Interweave Knits, Fall 2005
YARN: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Multi in Vera - 80% Superwash Wool, 20% Nylon
NEEDLES: Addi Turbo circular, US Size 1 and Brittany DPNs US size 1

In spite of the Monkey fever, I've actually not abandoned my rib and cable socks. I've been going back and forth between the Monkey sock and the second rib and cable sock and am happy to say the rib and cable socks are now finished.

These are my first pair of completed socks and I'm pretty happy with them. I played around with the three needle methods starting out with a single circular doing the "magic loop" method, then switched to DPNs as the instructions were written specifically for DPNs and I wasn't sure how to translate that to the magic loop method. Then I got two pairs of 16" Addi Turbos to try the two circular method and really did not like that but I think it was partly because I hated the shortened needles. There wasn't enough to hold onto so it really hurt my hands. In the end, I like the magic loop method the best although I prefer the DPNs when picking up stitches for the gusset.

In general, I'm thoroughly enjoying sock knitting and already have plans for several more socks in my future - not to mention the Monkeys that I already started!

Ravelry Rocks!

2007-07-12T18:06:00.000-04:00

If you haven't seen Ravelry yet, definitely go check it out! This is such a fantastic idea - one of those "I can't believe someone didn't think of this before" ideas because it's so obviously great.

Of course, it's also one of those awful ideas if you want to have a life! I just got my invite the other day and have already spent hours - yes, hours - on it! It's just so fun and addictive.

For those not familiar with Ravelry, it's an online knitting/crocheting community that allows you to catalog all your projects, stash, books etc. I especially like that you can click on a pattern and see everyone who is either currently knitting it or has finished it. You can also click on a type of yarn and see all the different things that people are making with it. This is especially great for stash yarn that you're not sure what to do with.

You can keep track of what all your friends are working on. Join in groups and see what's up there. I've joined a spinning group, a lace group, an NYC group among a few others.

The features list goes on and on. Go sign up and try to be patient while waiting for your invite!

Monkey Fever Yarn

2007-07-02T09:32:00.000-04:00

I forgot to mention that the very groovy yarn I'm using for my Monkey Socks is "Acero" from Brooks Farm Yarn. I'm using the skein on the left for the socks. It's 60% superwash wool, 20% silk and 20% viscose. I bought this at the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival and it is luscious. Unfortunately, they don't give the name of the colorway on the yarn band and I don't think it's there on their site though there are many other beautiful colors. They seem to do a lot of shows and had quite a bit more to offer at the show than on their site. I love the other skein I bought from them as well and plan to buy some more of their yarn at Rhinebeck!

I've Got Monkey Fever!

2007-07-01T11:28:00.000-04:00

This is what happens when you read too many knit blogs and flickr groups and see all the groovy stuff that other people are up to. And then you start to salivate (first symptom of the monkey fever) and then your brain goes into overdrive trying to decide if you've got the supplies you need or whether a shopping expedition to the yarn store is in order which of course it always is in order! (second symptom of the monkey fever). Then you abandon all other projects because the monkey fever has taken over your entire being...

The monkey fever is very contagious so I'm sorry to say that if you are now reading this blog you've probably just caught yourself a case of the monkey fever!

Cookie A's fabulous Monkey Socks pattern is free at Knitty.

First Sock Finished!

2007-06-12T14:05:00.000-04:00

I've finally finished my first sock. Though, of course, this does not count as a "finished object" until I finish the pair. I'm happy to say that despite a slight attack of second sock syndrome, I have actually already started the second sock. We'll see just how long it takes me...

FO-Another Pair of Fetching Mitts

2007-06-10T10:50:00.000-04:00

These were a very late mother's day gift. And just in time for summer too! What can I say? My mom seemed to like them despite the tardiness and inappropriate season.

PATTERN: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath from Knitty Summer 2006
YARN: Knit Picks Andean Silk in Hyacinth
NEEDLES: Takumi Bamboo DPNs, US size 6

Diggin' the Funky Green!

2007-05-27T18:34:00.000-04:00

I am loving this yarn I'm spinning with the Bonkers Tencel 'n' Merino in the Funky Green colorway. It's so rich and the color variations are subtle and give it a beautiful depth. I'm also highly motivated to spin this as I already know what I want to knit with it - the Victorian Lace Today scarf with French Trellis border and bramble leaf center. (photo below and on page 85 for those of you who have the book) My only concern is whether I'll have enough yarn. I've got 4oz of roving and am spinning at what should be a fingering weight once plied. I need 450 yards for the pattern. Anyone know if I'll have enough or is there a way to calculate this?

This is also my first time using my new Spindlewood spindle and this is now one of my favorite spindles! It just keeps going. Not to mention, look at how beautiful it is! I love purpleheart and even though I already have another purpleheart spindle, this one really sold me on the purpleheart shaft with the lovely woodwork. So many spindles have a beautiful whorl and then for some reason, the shaft is so bland. This Spindlewood really has all the details and spins like a dream. Spindlewood makes really cool square spindles that I've heard are wonderful as well. I think that may have to be my next spindle purchase.

Knitting Library

2007-05-26T17:57:00.000-04:00

Today I went to my local Japanese bookstore - Kinokuniya (in NYC, 49th St. btw. 5th&6th) and picked up a wonderful stitch dictionary "Knitting Patterns Book 250". My friend Janel had shown me her copy of this book so, of course, I had to be a copy cat and get my own! The diversity of patterns in here is just spectacular! Although the book is in Japanese, all the patterns are charted out so most knitters who are familiar with knitting from charts shouldn't have too many problems. There are some pretty complicated stitches here with many symbols that I did not recognize. But I'm still not a very experienced knitter so those of you with a bit more knitting knowledge probably won't have any major issues. Plus there are illustrated instructions in the back.

In the last couple of months I've acquired a few other books for my knitting library:

Interweave's "Favorite Socks"
Now those of you who know me, know that I have yet to finish knitting my first pair of socks but I have great plans I tell you! As witnessed by my purchase of not one but two sock yarns at the Maryland Sheep and Wool fest. So I needed - absolutely needed - a sock pattern book. This book really has a nice selection of patterns from lacy socks to a variety of fancy and plain cable/rib socks and some colorwork and folk patterns. I definitely want to knit at least half the patterns in this book which is a rarity for me and a pattern book. I've only been subscribing to Interweave Knits magazine for a little over a year now so I didn't have any of these patterns. However, if you're a long time subscriber, you probably don't need this book unless you just like the convenience of it. It does have a nice spiral binding and it's not too big, fitting nicely in a project bag. And I've just discovered that there's a KAL for this book at http://www.favoritesockskal.blogspot.com/

I've also recently purchased Interweave's Scarf Style which has a nice variety of patterns as well. Again, there are lacy patterns and some nice cable patterns, several colorwork designs. Definitely something for everyone here. In particular I want to knit "Backyard Leaves" by Annie Modesitt. And there are several others on my to-do list as well. There's a KAL for this book at http://scarfstyle.blogspot.com/

Now, maybe I should go work on my socks!

Spinning with the Fibership

2007-05-20T13:00:00.001-04:00

I've been test-driving my new Grafton Fibership and it's spinning up my new fiber quite nicely. This is the Cloverleaf Farms Merino/Tussah in Seamist. It's looking really beautiful. Very heathery. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to make with it though I'm thinking maybe a hat. I only bought 4oz. so something small.

Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival

2007-05-11T18:53:00.000-04:00

I went to the Maryland Sheep & Wool festival last weekend to see my friend Janel who was a vendor and to do a bit of animal petting and to do a bit (well, a lot) of shopping. I had no idea just how bad my fiber addiction was. I had a great time and bought way more than I should have... The sheep dog trials were so fun and amazing to watch. Oh, and I really wanted to get an alpaca! I wonder how that would work in my small Manhattan apartment.

So here are tons of photos of stash and fiber critters.

From Chameleon Colorworks - Spindlewood drop spindle in purpleheart and beautiful natural black baby alpaca fiber:

From Chameleon Colorworks - Hand dyed boucle yarn:

From Chameleon Colorworks - "Bambino" bamboo/merino superwash sock yarn

From the Yarn Barn - Chasing Rainbows silk hankie in Juniper Berry colorway:

From the Yarn Barn - Chasing Rainbows bombyx top in Abalone colorway:

From the Yarn Barn - Bonkers Tencel 'n Merino in Funky Green:

From Cloverleaf Farms - (l-r) Merino/Tencel in Peacock, Merino/Tussah in Seamist, Merino/Tussah in Green

From Brooks Farm Yarn - (l-r) "Acero" superwash wool/silk/viscose, "Primero" 100% kid mohair

From Seaport Yarn - Grafton Fibership spindle

From the extremely generous Sheila and Michael Ernst - a stunning glass button

From Carolina Homespun - a fun little sheep needle size and guage check

And apparently it is not permissable to leave until you've stood in line forever and purchased some of the festival merchandise which is actually quite nice!

And now a few of the cutest fiber animals ever!

Sheep (of course!):

Sleepy angora goat:

Fluffy bunny:

Sheered alpacas with fancy hairdos:

Lovely llama:

Happy sheep:

Sock Do-Over

2007-04-22T16:13:00.000-04:00

I've decided to start my sock over from the beginning. My knitting guru guide Janel had gotten me started, but without a pattern, and she sadly lives 3,000 miles away so I really needed something to follow if I wanted to get any further with this on my own. So I found this fun Nancy Bush pattern "Rib and Cable Socks" from the Fall 2005 Interweave Knits. It seems pretty simple but the cables add a little zing.

And can I just say that I love cables - they are easy and look like you've done something fancy!

A Little Yarn Porn

2007-04-08T14:45:00.000-04:00

For those so inclined...

This is Alchemy Haiku (40% silk, 60% mohair) in amethyst. Purchased at Purl Soho - a very dangerous store for any yarn addicts. This store is very small but they have only the most exquisite yarn. I consider it an "artisanal yarn store". As mentioned in my previous post I was going to get some more of the Rowan Kidsilk Haze but since the dye lots were so different, I decided to get something completely different and now this is going to be for my next lace project. All of the Alchemy yarns are heavenly. This one is so soft and the color is so rich. I can't wait to use it!

Lace Beginnings

2007-04-08T14:35:00.000-04:00

Now on to a new project. I've been drooling over everybody's lace projects from Victorian Lace Today so I finally got myself a copy of the book and now I want to make nearly everything in it! Unfortunately, I've never knit lace before but now's as good a time as any to start! I actually have nearly an entire skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze left over from the embroidery on my Shriek sweater so I figured I'd use that for my first lace project. I tried to get a few more skeins but the dye lots were just too different so my first project is just going to be a long skinny lace scarf. I'm using the diamond pattern in Victorian Lace Today with far fewer repeats. Here are my small beginnings:

I'm using the new Addi lace needles which I really like. Having never knit lace before I can't really give any authoritative review but I can say that the very pointy tips do seem to be very helpful.

FO-Fetching Mitts

2007-04-08T14:20:00.000-04:00

PATTERN: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath from Knitty Summer 2006
YARN: Knit Picks Andean Silk in Sangria
NEEDLES: Takumi Bamboo DPNs, US size 6

I loved knitting this pattern and I'm really happy with the end result. This was my first time knitting with double pointed needles which is a bit like wrestling with an octopus especially when you add in a cable needle but I more or less got the hang of it and it was a quick and easy knit. The Knit Picks yarn is nice and soft and, of course, very reasonably priced.

I'm pretty sure I'll be making a few more pairs of these as I've already had several requests for some Fetching gifts!

FO-Shriek Sweater

2007-02-19T16:28:00.000-05:00

PATTERN: Shriek by Kim Hargreaves from Rowan #32
YARN: Rowanspun DK in #747 "Catkin" (4 skeins), Rowan Kidsilk Haze in #592 "Heavenly" for embroidery
NEEDLES: Addi Turbos US size 6 & 3

Finally finished! I blocked this sweater with my fancy new blocking board and put it together this weekend. This is a perfect beginner's sweater and no sleeves meant it was that much less work. I used the spec'd Rowan yarn which I was not crazy about - it wasn't very soft and broke easily. And I ran out of it only to discover that it had been discontinued - no surprise. Fortunately, the internet is a wonderful place and I just did a google search and quickly found myself another skein.

Now, we'll see how long it takes me to finish my Union Square Market sweater... I am almost done with the body but this sweater has sleeves and I know those take a long time!

Learning to make socks

2007-01-13T17:09:00.000-05:00

While I was visiting family and friends over the holidays in Los Angeles, my pal Janel took me to a wonderful yarn store called A Mano. The two women who run this place are the greatest and the store had the nicest vibe with people sitting around chatting and knitting. It was the friendliest yarn store I'd ever seen. So, of course, I had to buy something! I've been wanting to learn how to make socks and Janel was buying some sock yarn so I did too. Now I'm making these socks with Lorna's Lace's sock yarn.

And here's a quick progress update on my Union Square Market sweater. I've just gotten to the armholes and have divided the front and back which means I can now lay it out flat. Do you like my method of blocking with crap (post-it pad, battery charger & container of binder clips) sitting on my desk???

Christmas Stash Score!

2007-01-13T16:55:00.000-05:00

So I'm pretty late in sharing my total score of Christmas loot. My friends and family completely spoiled me and I got some great fiber/knitting stuff over the holidays.

I can finally block things with this great blocking board from KnitPicks.

I can now knit the Lace Leaf Sweater since I got Teva Durham's book "Loop-d-Loop" which has that and several other groovy patterns that I hope to make someday when I actually know how to knit better.

My good friend Janel who runs Chameleon Colorworks overwhelmed me with spinning supplies. I got a pound of this luscious Blue Faced Leicester fiber in the black cherry colorway as well as this beautiful bottom-whorl spindle.

And then she also gave me some super luxurious samples of exotic fibers - baby alpaca and baby camel with silk! I wish this blog had "touch-o-rama" capabilities because these are like buttah!

Wishful Knitting

2006-11-18T17:37:00.000-05:00

As I'm slogging away on the many rounds of stockinette stitch required to finish my Union Square Market sweater, I am already wistfully thinking about all the other things I want to knit. Here are a few of the patterns I have discovered recently that I can't wait to get started:

Teva Durham's Lace Leaf Sweater

French Girl's Isobel Sweater

French Girl's Violette Hat

Interweave Knits (Winter 2006) Wine and Roses Mitts

OK, maybe I should get back to knitting rather than looking at all these fun things to knit...

Are you ready for your close-up?

2006-11-09T12:49:00.000-05:00

Well, beebonnet asked for a close-up photo of my sweater hem so here it is. Therefore also giving me a convenient topic for a new blog post as I hadn't done anything post-worthy in the last few days.

Here is the front of the hem. It keeps curling which I am hoping will be fixed in the blocking process.

And here is the "behind the scenes" view which thankfully no one will see when I actually wear the sweater since this is clearly where things got a bit messy...

Union Square Market Sweater Progress

2006-11-06T15:21:00.000-05:00

Well, now I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself for updating my blog two days in a row. Of course, I may not update it again for two months in a row... Not sure I'm ready to commit to steady blogging yet...

But here is a progress pic on my second sweater effort - the Union Square Market Sweater from Interweave Knits.

I've got about 6 inches done. Keep in mind it's knitted in the round on size 3 needles so a nice chunk of knitting is done. But it is a big project and I still have A LOT to do. Plus I don't understand all the directions so I'll need to ask for the help of my trusty knitting guru, Janel.

This sweater has a cool hem on the bottom that I had to do about 5 times over before I got it to work. The technique sounds easy enough when you read how to do it but the actual doing it is much more tricky. There are some boo boos in mine if you look real close but overall, I really like this way of hemming a sweater. It's a nice change from a ribbed bottom.

Just an FYI, that is Nino, AKA the grey devil, sleeping beside the sweater. Much of his fur is knitted in the sweater.

Indian Wedding Scarf

2006-11-05T18:15:00.000-05:00

OK, I really don't know how people find time to keep their blogs up to date on a regular basis. I mean, I barely have time to just do the things that I want to show off here...

Anyway, I didn't do much in the way of craftiness over the summer. I live in New York City where the summer is hot and sticky and pretty much the last thing you want to do is touch wool. But now that there is a nip in the air I've gotten back to spinning and knitting. I finished knitting my Rowan green sweater but no point in posting a photo since the second side looks exactly like the photo I posted earlier - well, I made different mistakes, but whatever. I still need to block it and put it together. Then I'll post a pic.

I did however finish my first project using yarn that I spun myself (from "Indian Wedding" Merino Silk roving that I got from Janel at Chameleon Colorworks) which is pretty exciting. It's this scarf using a pattern I got from the Yarn Harlot.

So, what did I learn with this project - that I still need to work quite a bit on consistent spinning - or not, if I want that "handmade" look which I do like but prefer to have more control over making it look funky. I really wanted my yarn to be bulkier so that is something to work on...

Always learning.

Half of sweater finished!

2006-04-16T15:28:00.000-04:00

I've finished the back of my first sweater - a Rowan pattern. It's a sleeveless turtleneck and both the front and the back are exactly the same. When finished it will also have some decorative mohair yarn-embroidered lines running diagonally/abstractly across the front. Here's a pic so far...

Here's the yarn I'm going to use for the next sweater I plan to make from InterWeave Knits Fall '05 issue. It's the Union Square Market Sweater on the cover. (see it here). This is super soft Alpaca. I'm using the darker blue for the main color and the light blue for the trim.

This is my first attempt at plying my handspun yarn. This is the Indian Wedding yarn (from earlier post).

Recent Spinning

2006-04-15T03:11:00.000-04:00

This is spun from a merino tencel blend from Chamleon Colorworks in Queen's Plums:

This is spun from a merino silk blend from Chamleon Colorworks in Indian Wedding: