A family joke (one of many) is how I can't seem to go anywhere without making at least one wrong turn. In high school, we took a standardized test to measure what we were naturally good at, and I scored high on mechanical aptitude, and yet when turning something with my left hand, I have to make the corresponding twist with my right hand so I know which way to go. Or chant, "Righty tighty, lefty loosey." Now that I knit an above-average amount (the average knitter completes 8-9 projects a year - HA! I've knit more socks than that since March!), I find myself struggling mentally with the more-than-unusual garment construction techniques, like the Surprise Baby Sweater and the Pinwheel Sweater.
So, is it any surprise that I am having a hard time adjusting to being on the second floor at work? I think one problem is that there are a lot more floor-to-ceiling offices up here, which obstruct the over-the-cubicle view. But I have figured out that those offices are mostly toward the front of the building, so once I get past them, I generally can get my bearings. Still, I keep walking past my cubicle. I wish my spatial abilities were better.
Last night I shortened up the Lopi mitten, so now it fits perfectly. This morning, I cast on the second one and knit up ten rows while sipping coffee. Chunky yarn + small project = quick completion. I hope. Winter is coming.
Remember the vintage lace top I was whining about several months ago? I am trying to work up my courage to attack that once again. My recent lace work has given me a false sense of confidence.
Showing posts with label ReynoldsLopiYarn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ReynoldsLopiYarn. Show all posts
Monday, November 19, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Ouch
Yesterday was moving day at work. While looking for empty boxes, I wrestled with a box of paper and managed to pinch a nerve in my lower back. You know the feeling: shooting pains from hip to ankle. It's been a while since I did something like this, but I know the routine: lots of Advil, some stretching, and application of pressure to the resulting knots in my gluteus maximus. A difficult spot to reach but I'm sure my sweetie will help out tonight.
Several years ago, I was flying somewhere (to Tucson?) At one point, a woman several rows in front of me held her knitting up over her head to examine her handiwork. I could see each perfect stitch from where I sat, and I was consumed with jealousy. How did she do that? My stitches tend to look rather haphazard initially (thank god for blocking), and we won't even discuss gauge or laddering between DPNs. Although my knitting continues to improve, and I no longer approach the end of each project with dread (will it look okay? will it fit? will it resemble something other than a bird's nest of yarn?), I still wish most fervently that my handiwork were better.
But I keep trying. Here is a mitten from the Reynolds Lopi Icelandic wool:
If it looks kinda long and skinny, that is because it is. I read in The Knitter's Book of Yarn that Icelandic wool has little elasticity, and Clara Parkes is right; it was like knitting with baling twine, just as stiff and just as coarse. I'm using a free pattern from Lion Brand called "Starter Mittens" but I ribbed the cuff. The pattern says the mittens will fit an adult, but an adult what? I have large hands and on US6 needles, my gauge is a little tight (so what else is new?), and this mitten fits my hand snugly. The thumb is perfect but the overall length is a tad long. In fact, I may undo the end and remove a few rows. Icelandic wool is a bit too scratchy for next-to-the-skin wear, but I expect it to wear well, so these mittens will become my working pair, for shoveling snow, etc.
I finished the garish Magic Socks.
The colorway is "Jelly Bean Stripe" although I didn't quite get the stripes lined up. These look kind of odd but they fit me well (surprise!) In fact, I am wearing them right now. The yarn is sport weight and I used US3 needles, so they went fairly quickly. (From what I understand, LB has discontinued Magic Stripes, but it looks like they still have a couple of colors, including this one, listed on their website.)
And here is the official start of the red-red-red sweater:
After a certain amount of dinking (and tinking) around, I think I am settled on the sleeves at least, at last. I knit the first four rows on straight needles, then started knitting in the round, so there is a little notch in the cuff, allowing the option of rolling the cuff up. I could not face acres of stockinette, so I added the lace pattern "lace diagonal" as described in The Knitting Stitche Bible, just to remind me that I am counting-impaired.
Several years ago, I was flying somewhere (to Tucson?) At one point, a woman several rows in front of me held her knitting up over her head to examine her handiwork. I could see each perfect stitch from where I sat, and I was consumed with jealousy. How did she do that? My stitches tend to look rather haphazard initially (thank god for blocking), and we won't even discuss gauge or laddering between DPNs. Although my knitting continues to improve, and I no longer approach the end of each project with dread (will it look okay? will it fit? will it resemble something other than a bird's nest of yarn?), I still wish most fervently that my handiwork were better.
But I keep trying. Here is a mitten from the Reynolds Lopi Icelandic wool:
If it looks kinda long and skinny, that is because it is. I read in The Knitter's Book of Yarn that Icelandic wool has little elasticity, and Clara Parkes is right; it was like knitting with baling twine, just as stiff and just as coarse. I'm using a free pattern from Lion Brand called "Starter Mittens" but I ribbed the cuff. The pattern says the mittens will fit an adult, but an adult what? I have large hands and on US6 needles, my gauge is a little tight (so what else is new?), and this mitten fits my hand snugly. The thumb is perfect but the overall length is a tad long. In fact, I may undo the end and remove a few rows. Icelandic wool is a bit too scratchy for next-to-the-skin wear, but I expect it to wear well, so these mittens will become my working pair, for shoveling snow, etc.
I finished the garish Magic Socks.
The colorway is "Jelly Bean Stripe" although I didn't quite get the stripes lined up. These look kind of odd but they fit me well (surprise!) In fact, I am wearing them right now. The yarn is sport weight and I used US3 needles, so they went fairly quickly. (From what I understand, LB has discontinued Magic Stripes, but it looks like they still have a couple of colors, including this one, listed on their website.)
And here is the official start of the red-red-red sweater:
After a certain amount of dinking (and tinking) around, I think I am settled on the sleeves at least, at last. I knit the first four rows on straight needles, then started knitting in the round, so there is a little notch in the cuff, allowing the option of rolling the cuff up. I could not face acres of stockinette, so I added the lace pattern "lace diagonal" as described in The Knitting Stitche Bible, just to remind me that I am counting-impaired.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Oops - Stash Enhancing eXpedition!
Just could not resist a visit to the Yarn Basket in Fitchburg, MA. They carry mostly Plymouth and Bernat and lots of novelty yarn, but I found a few things to try: Zitron Trekking XXL sock yarn, Oasis Aussi Sock (in "Faded Valentine" - don't you just love that color name?), and JCA Reynolds Lopi Icelandic wool.
It was so nice to wander about and pet and squeeze yarn. I miss that, so my wish for today is that someone open a yarn store in my home town. Please?
It was so nice to wander about and pet and squeeze yarn. I miss that, so my wish for today is that someone open a yarn store in my home town. Please?
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