Tag Archives: new project

Lavender Twist

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I do believe the Mountain Colors yarn will be really nice, if not perfect, for the Shedir pattern from Knitty’s 2004 Fall Surprise. However, I was wrong about it being 100% wool; it’s Mountain Goat, which is 55% mohair and 45% wool. The color is called Sweet Lavender.


I got it started on Wednesday and am on row 24 so far, just haven’t had a chance to take an in-progress picture yet. The only thing that is confusing me so far is the twists and cables. I keep wondering if there’s an easier way to do them. According to the pattern, for a left twist you slip the next st onto a cable needle and hold it to the front, purl next st, then knit st from cable needle. I once made socks that used a twisting pattern, but to make the twists you knit into second st, then knit into first st. or knit second st tbl, then knit first st. Now, if I could substitute one or both of these for the way the twists or cables are done, this would knit up a little quicker. Right now I’m doing each cable/twist per the instructions, but without a cable needle, and it seems a bit cumbersome. The twists I did on my socks went smoothly compared to the ones on this hat. Unfortunately, my brain gets tied up in knots when I try to think too deeply in three dimensions.

By now, you’re probably confused as to why I’m thinking so hard about this… well, I have a paper due tomorrow, and this is how I avoid working on it. *grin* I had to perform a building survey (with preservation management in mind) and now have to type up a 5 page report on the risks I found. I’m having problems with where to start… and how to get 5 pages out of this. So, I started a new project instead. *sigh* Geez, is that sad, or what?

The new project has been added to the sidebar, and it will be updated when I get an in-progress picture taken. I’ve also reorganized my Fotopic photo page. I started with just a knitting section, but decided to split it up into finished objects and works in progress. Ah, organization… yet another of my distractions from school work. I’m such a procrastinator.

Now for something a bit different… I usually don’t go in for quizzes, but this one is knitting related and kind of cute.

Knitting Guru
You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting
and do it all the time. While finishing a piece
is the plan, you still love the process, and
can’t imagine a day going by without giving
some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation
involves leaving ample space for the stash and
supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn
ends and you begin.

http://marniemaclean.com

What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

In need of a hat on a cold day

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The Bay Area went from almost 90 degree weather to rainy, 50-60 degree within the space of a week. It almost seems like Mother Nature thought to herself, “Oops, I forgot to turn fall on in the Bay Area, better do that,” then she flipped a swtich. First, I was too hot, now, in what should be “nice” weather, I’m cold because the change happened too quickly. *brrr*

Now, Shelia over at Mutually Reclusive has made an absolutely brilliant hat — The Lawrence Welt Hat. This warm looking hat has given me an idea… I shall slip a hat for myself into the project list (must keep my ears toasty). I have a skein of Mountain Colors wool in a pretty blue-tan that I’m sure would set off the color of my eyes (because it should be flattering, right?). *grin* Now I am contemplating the pretty cable hat in the Knitty Fall Surprise. I really like the way the cables come together on the top… and I hope one skein will be enough (it’s all I’ve got in my stash)… I’ll have to check the yardage when I get home, maybe even knit up a swatch.

Wandering off the path

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I have refrained from purchasing anything what so ever from my LYS because “I have a shawl to knit.” I have to say this out load whenever I pick up some soft, tasty looking yarn in the store… like that alpaca/silk slightly thick and thin that would make a nice shawl for myself… or a throw…. um, yeah. But, on Saturday, I could not let pass up getting some Bouton D’or Ksar in black… 15 balls, in fact… at half off cause the shop owner was sick and tired of looking at dangling ends (the balls fall apart really easily). So, $180 of gorgeous 50% wool, 50% camel yarn became mine for $90 (I’m very proud of myself if you can’t tell). I found myself casting on a swatch at around midnight… have to see how it knits up, right? Once I had a swatch I found myself wondering what I could knit with it… 15 balls should be enough for a sweater… although black isn’t exactly the best color for me… makes me look more than a bit pale. I could, however, knit a sweater for my husband, who does look good in black.

Due to some confusion on the yarn tag… it says the gauge is 17 sts/4 inches on US size 10.5 or 5 mm… I swatched with both my size 10s and my size 8s. For both I got 4 sts to the inch with the fabric created on the 8s a bit tighter… I thought the 10s made it too holey looking.

I am now about 4 inches into Le Bete Noir (as it had been christened)… and am wondering if I am still knitting at the gauge I swatched at. If I just measure the guage as the kntting sits on the needles I get 5 sts/inch, which would make this 5 inches shorter in width than it should be. If I try to make the knitting looking like it might when not bunched up on knitting needles I get 4 sts/in… 4.5 sts/in.

Le Bete Noir is beginning to look like a very appropriate name…