Naughty

LOL on the title. If my husband read that he would beg to differ about giving a knitting post the title of "Naughty," but this is my blog, not his.

I feel delightfully and deliciously bad. I'm supposed to be finishing my WIP before TNJ (which starts 8/14 for those who have asked), and I just CO a new project: Lotus Blossom from Interweave Press. My sister gave me a subscription for my birthday, and while I was thankful for the gift, I didn't really think I'd enjoy it that much. Well come to find out, I really like it! If she doesn't renew the subscription as a gift next year, I plan to renew it myself.

I'm knitting this in Debbie Bliss Cathay in a dusty cantaloupe melon color. I have about 2-3 extra skeins depending on how top turns out, so I can make something else with it (maybe a matching top for DD). I couldn't believe that the gauge, etc was exactly what the pattern called for. Lucky me. I had planned to make the Honeymoon Cami in this yarn, but after making two other tanks, I decided I just didn't like the way the tanks looked on me in the cotton yarn. I just don't have the bod for it, and I didn't like the overall look of the yarn in the knit.

Hopefully this knit will turn out. Not only am I taking on another project when I said I wouldn't, I'm taking on a project for myself, which I swore off awhile ago.

Fun fun. So far I really like the lace pattern, and it's not too difficult to follow. I'll show pics soon.

And on another front, I am so stupid! I finished both Anouk and Miss Dashwood and promptly wrapped the gifts before taking a picture of them! Duh. I'll have to take my camera when I give it to my DGF and snap some pictures of her holding it to showcase on the blog. Both turned out amazingly cute!

Tempting II isn't tempting

Here are two photos of DD taken a year apart. She doesn't look ver different in them given the poses, but she is so different now!


DD in July 2005

DD in July 2006






Tempting II isn't tempting me anymore. I've had 13 inches (up to the armpits) completed for well over a month. I trudged through casting on one sleeve a few days ago, but for some reason, the pattern and project just isn't giving me that oomph other projects do. I look at it and think, "Blah!"

Today I finished the hat for DD (a purple Miss Dashwood), and I just have the ear flaps to knit and sew on (easy, quick). I want to make DD the Anouk now, and I plan to add some embellishments that I learned from Miss Dashwood. I plan to CO using the picot edge, and I want to put some bobbles in there somewhere. I just have to figure out where.

I've stalled on her rug, which I really should finish since I want to see it in her room. It's HUMONGOUS (covers my legs when I knit it), and I have a TON more to do (maybe the reason I've stalled on it).

I also need to figure out something about the Tempting II project. I need to finish it (but finish it the right way so I'll wear it), or rip and knit it into something different. This poor yarn has only been ripped about 6 times, so I want to put it to good use (it's really good yarn), but I just don't know what.

~sigh~

Inventory II - Post 2nd Summer Vacation

I am truly a lucky gal, getting two wonderful vacations this year. First to the beach for a full week, and then 5 full days to the stunning mountains of PA with my family and ILs (who I love dearly; MIL is here with DD). DH and I had a wonderful time bike riding through the mountains (paved and gravel roads, no trails, but definitely remote mountain roads), we enjoyed fabulous food with DD and the ILs, and the company was lively and entertaining.

Interspersed between riding, eating, relaxing, and chatting were moments of knitting. Here's an update on my pre-vacation inventory list:

Linen Lace Handtowel: Both are DONE! Here you can see the second one blocking. At the moment they are both folded neatly together on the table awaiting a pretty packaging and wrapping, along with matching handsoap (handmade, maybe) for MIL's Christmas present.


DD's Rug: stet. No progress.

Anouk Pinafore: Blocked! I had a hard time getting it to fit on the sweater drying screen, but it worked. I haven't yet sewn the pockets on, and honestly the pockets look a little too big for it. With all pieces blocked, I figured it would be easier to sew it together. I'll have to find some daytime with good light to tackle that. Maybe this next weekend.


Baby Tart Hat to match Anouk: Actually, I decided to knit another Knitty.com pattern: Miss Dashwood. I almost skipped it because I thought the brim looked too big and floppy, but it turned out beautifully! All that is left is knitting on the earflaps and blocking (to make the brim lay flat). I knit this in the same washable wool from Cascade (Cascade 220 Superwash) as the pinafore. It's the "flower" on top of the stem and dress.

BTW, I adore this hat and started one in purple for DD. I learned a new CO technique that makes a gorgeous picot edge! I love it and can't wait to try it on something else.

Baby Kimono and Hat: stet. No change.

Tempting II: I knit about 2-3 rows total on vacation, and I'm to the point of starting the sleeves. So, I put it down and will revisit it when I have a chance to concentrate on what I'm doing.

Inventory

Sorry, this is a picture-less post. I hate picture-less posts. They're long and boring and too laundry-list-ish. I have enough laundry lists in my life, and lo and behold, this post is a laundry-list. But it doesn't have to look like one. So, this is a non-knitty picture, but a picture all the same. This is a picture of DD's arm in a purple cast as she's finger painting. Luckily the cast is waterproof. She has her hand jammed in her purple bowl of paint. She loves purple, if you didn't know.


The following pictures are of us entertaining ourselves while on the plane going to the beach. Dad has a nifty new mac laptop with a built-in camera and this great photo program called PhotoBooth. You should check it out sometime. Very fun.

Because I am changing jobs, I've set a number of 30-day goals for myself, including wrapping up my WIPs. I know I'll be immersed in the new job (TNJ), responsibilities, people, culture, not to mention the actual work of TNJ, and I don't want those UFOs taunting me.

We're also going out of town the rest of this week and weekend, and I'll have valuable knitting time but not much finishing/blocking time.

Linen Lace Handtowel: I'm making 2 of these for MIL for Christmas, and I'm on the final border of the second handtowel. I hope to BO today, block tomorrow, and finish next week. 9:30 pm update: 2nd handtowel is blocking now. All ends are woven in, and all that remains is packaging and wrapping.

DD's Rug: This is an on-going WIP and won't be finished before TNJ.

Anouk Pinafore: I've finished all of the knitting (pockets, tabs, dress) and weaving in the ends. I need to figure out how to sew the pockets on, and then a good block. Actually, I think I'll block the pockets and dress first and then sew on the pockets. Hopefully that will make seaming easier. I doubt I'll have time to block this tomorrow before we leave, so it will have to wait until next week or weekend.

Baby Tart Hat to match Anouk: I haven't actually started this, but since this is a gift set, I need to start and finish it before TNJ. This will be a good knit over the vacation this week - small, easy to carry, and easy to knit. Hopefully I'll finish it this week, block next, finish the pinafore, and give to my dear friend the first week of August.

Baby Kimono and Hat: I finished the pink set and now need to finish the blue set. All are knit, but I need to seam the kimono, weave in the ends, and block. Maybe I'll take it with me on vacation to work on in some down time. Block next week or the week after, package, wrap, and ship to the expecting cousin.

Tempting II: I put this down in utter frustration over a month ago. I wasn't actually frustrated at the piece but rather with adult knitting all together. I'm still skeptical I have any ability to knit adult pieces that look good (I still haven't worn either my Honeymoon Cami or HC Companion), but I may actually try to finish this one. SKC Knit-along is inspiring me, though I'm really nervous about the neckline and sleeves. I've finished 12" of the 13" body, and next are the sleeves and neckline. It's so close, but so far. Maybe I'll work on this the first week in August, wrapping up the second before starting TNJ the third week.

Whew!

At long last

A post and some pics to show of recent work. It's not an FO yet, but it's close.

Here's the unblocked, recently finished pinafore in 90% glory. I love this pattern, and so does DD who insisted it was hers. Because it's first a dress and then a tunic to get the most mileage out of a lovingly made handknit garment, I made the terrible mistake of trying it on DD to see how it would fit on a 2-year-old (I knit the 3 mo size). A terrible mistake because of course DD didn't want to take off the "purple dress." I wrenched it from her (intact) by promising to knit her a purple hat, which she wanted immediately. ~sigh~ I have a lot to learn as a parent. But when you're two, out of sight is out of mind: she hasn't seen the pinafore since.

Anyhoo, the dress knit up quickly. I knit both front and back on the same needles at the same time (thanks to long circular needles!). The pattern was relatively easy to follow, though I did have to pay attention. I also had to stop and devote some attention to deciphering the instructions along the shoulders and neckline, but that's not unusual. Believe it or not, this pattern had very little ripping, if any (yay me).

As you can see, the dress joins at one shoulder and is open at the other (wonderful to accommodate infants' large heads and small bodies). I modified the shoulder strap at the open end to allow a little more overlap for a button & button hole. BUT, I also decided to use a snap closure with a decorative button on top (as a parent I HATED clothing with actual buttons).

The only thing I have left are the pockets and the side tabs. The pockets are giving me some trouble. They are lovely pockets with cute flowers that "grow out of" the bottom grass of the dress. However, I've never done intarsia successfully nor have I ever knit and sewn on a pocket. I'm only so-so happy with this first pocket, and my first attempt to sew it on was a bomb.

As you can see, the underside is a bit of a mess. I'm not sure if this is what intarsia is supposed to look like or not, but the yarn carries over wide swatches. Maybe I shouldn't carry the yarn but weave in the ends, but the pocket is so small with only a few stitches (4-5 max) of color in between colors that it seemed silly to not carry it. It's not a functional pocket, so it won't matter what the underside looks like.

I tell myself all this, of course, but really I care (or else I wouldn't have the conversation). I want the underside to look neat and tidy. I want to learn how to do this the right way. The pocket isn't functional, really, but it doesn't matter - I want the knitting to be right. But I also want to finish the darn thing and get on with it. I've looked at some good online resources (How to be an expert knitter was REALLY helpful), but reading and looking at others doing it is a lot different than doing it yourself.

I'm thinking about skipping the pockets all together, but that blows the pretty green grass and violet edging at the top.

So, I have more work to do, but it's close. I can't wait to see the FO.

Yay me!

A new month and no posts yet. I'm a bad blogger. I did have a fabulous vacation. I did knit. And I did get a new job! I'm afraid all the upset in the next several months may lead to spotty posts, but I'm still knitting.

Pics to come. I made GREAT progress on the baby pinafore. I'm done with the body and on to the pockets. I just need to figure out how to do intarsia (previous attempts resulted in holes). Since this is a gift, holes won't do.

DD is calling. It's bath time. Back soon.