Hat
Blanket
Pillow
Everything except class and good taste.
February 1, 2007
Thursdays are for What the Hell is This?
Apparently everything is better with boobs.
Hat
Blanket
Pillow
Everything except class and good taste.
Hat
Blanket
Pillow
Everything except class and good taste.
January 31, 2007
Is Squid the New Black? Part Two
Squid continues to be a cool "it" theme. How soon will squids and skull and crossbones veer into passe? What will be the new cool thing? Guesses, anyone?
Fifth Time's the Charm
I hope next year I will remember: Never start a new sweater at Madrona. It just doesn't work. Last year's was a disaster. I attributed this mostly to a terrible pattern filled with errors. This year I wasn't going to make the same mistake. I brought yarn and needles to start a new variation on Retro Prep. I've knit the body of this sweater twice before. It's plain stockinette in the round. Easy as pie, right? You, I'm sure, sense where this is going.
Attempt #1: Cast on and realize at the end of the first round of ribbing that I got my pattern (k3, p2) off about 12 stitches in. I decide it will be easier to rip and cast on again than tink back.
Attempt#2: Cast on and realize at the end of the first round of ribbing that I got my pattern (k3, p2) off about 25 stitches in.
Attempt #3: Cast on and complete the ribbing happily. Look down at my knitting during Fiona Ellis's talk and try really hard not to curse out loud. My cast on was twisted. Rip.
Attempt #4: I can't remember what happened here. I think I blocked it out.
Attempt #5: Success! I knit the ribbing. I realize that somewhere between my first and fifth attempt to cast on I changed the number of stitches I was casting on by 20. So instead of a very close fitting sweater with virtually no ease, I'll have a looser sweater. I added more of the body stitches to the steek so it won't be that bad.
I knit several inches of the sweater on Saturday night. Sunday morning, lying in bed, I realize I screwed up the side decreases. (I actually increased when I was supposed to decrease. In my defense, I was in a bar. However I wasn't drinking so I don't know if that counts.) Sunday morning at breakfast I ripped back. I now have about five inches of the body done.
Did I mention I'm teaching a class on this? I hope my students don't have as much trouble as I did.
Attempt #1: Cast on and realize at the end of the first round of ribbing that I got my pattern (k3, p2) off about 12 stitches in. I decide it will be easier to rip and cast on again than tink back.
Attempt#2: Cast on and realize at the end of the first round of ribbing that I got my pattern (k3, p2) off about 25 stitches in.
Attempt #3: Cast on and complete the ribbing happily. Look down at my knitting during Fiona Ellis's talk and try really hard not to curse out loud. My cast on was twisted. Rip.
Attempt #4: I can't remember what happened here. I think I blocked it out.
Attempt #5: Success! I knit the ribbing. I realize that somewhere between my first and fifth attempt to cast on I changed the number of stitches I was casting on by 20. So instead of a very close fitting sweater with virtually no ease, I'll have a looser sweater. I added more of the body stitches to the steek so it won't be that bad.
I knit several inches of the sweater on Saturday night. Sunday morning, lying in bed, I realize I screwed up the side decreases. (I actually increased when I was supposed to decrease. In my defense, I was in a bar. However I wasn't drinking so I don't know if that counts.) Sunday morning at breakfast I ripped back. I now have about five inches of the body done.
Did I mention I'm teaching a class on this? I hope my students don't have as much trouble as I did.
January 30, 2007
Ribbons Baby Blanket
Pattern: Ribbons Baby Blanket by Evelyn Clark from Fibertrends
Yarn: Henry's Attic Inca Cotton
Needle: US10 Denise Interchangeables
Changes: I used a larger needle than called for because my yarn was slightly big and because I couldn't find the right size needles when I cast on. I knit fewer repeats and made the edging narrower. The finished blanket is a 25" square without blocking.
Spey Valley
Pattern: Spey Valley from Knitting on the Road
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in unknown colorway (possibly Mineshaft?)
Needle: US1 Addi Turbo
Changes: Made the leg a little shorter than originally called for.
Notes: One skein made a pretty strong barber pole while the other made lovely speckled variegation. Same yarn, same needle, very different final product.
January 29, 2007
Madrona in Pictures
From the wool combing class, fibers waiting to be combed.
We got to try a variety of combs--4 and 5 pitch English, single and double Viking, mini combs, Russian paddle combs--with many different fibers--Targhee, Merino, Wensleydale, Romney, Alpaca, Romeldale and more.
From the fiber blending class, one of my favorite batts, an analogous color blend.
We used Ashland Bay Merino Top (yum) and worked in the morning on color blending. We created a monochromatic blend, an analogous blend, a complimentary blend, a split complimentary and a blend which used one color from each of the twelve spokes of the color wheel. In the afternoon we experimenting with blending different fibers. I was having too much fun to stop for pictures.
From Dyeing for Socks, my primary color skein.
Magenta on one end, cyan on the other and polar yellow in the center. When I brought this home my son immediately asked him to knit the spider monkey from World of Knitted Toys from it for him. He had me wind the skein into a ball within minutes of walking in the door. It's going to be one searing bright monkey.
Here is Judith demonstrating random painting.
My only yarn purchase were mill ends of Mountain Colors Bearfoot being sold by the ounce. I picked up four ounces in dark purples just to play with. But that's it. I now have tons of fiber to spin and combs to process my Targhee I bought at Oregon Flock and Fiber. It should keep me pretty busy until the next festival or conference.
We got to try a variety of combs--4 and 5 pitch English, single and double Viking, mini combs, Russian paddle combs--with many different fibers--Targhee, Merino, Wensleydale, Romney, Alpaca, Romeldale and more.
From the fiber blending class, one of my favorite batts, an analogous color blend.
We used Ashland Bay Merino Top (yum) and worked in the morning on color blending. We created a monochromatic blend, an analogous blend, a complimentary blend, a split complimentary and a blend which used one color from each of the twelve spokes of the color wheel. In the afternoon we experimenting with blending different fibers. I was having too much fun to stop for pictures.
From Dyeing for Socks, my primary color skein.
Magenta on one end, cyan on the other and polar yellow in the center. When I brought this home my son immediately asked him to knit the spider monkey from World of Knitted Toys from it for him. He had me wind the skein into a ball within minutes of walking in the door. It's going to be one searing bright monkey.
Here is Judith demonstrating random painting.
My only yarn purchase were mill ends of Mountain Colors Bearfoot being sold by the ounce. I picked up four ounces in dark purples just to play with. But that's it. I now have tons of fiber to spin and combs to process my Targhee I bought at Oregon Flock and Fiber. It should keep me pretty busy until the next festival or conference.
January 28, 2007
So Much Freaking Fun
I had an amazing time at Madrona. I took some incredibly wonderful classes, saw dozens and dozens of inspiring, funny, warm, charming people. I am completely pooped. I have a few photos that I'll try to post tomorrow.
Quick rundown.
Thursday: All day wool combing class. End result: No blood loss and I now own a set of these. That's right, folks, envy me.
Friday: All day fiber blending class. So much fun. Really motivating and inspirational. Jill Laski is a lovely person, a wonderful teacher and has a killer sense of color. I left class with two shopping bags full of carded batts.
Saturday: All day dyeing for socks (but really it could have been dyeing for anything) class with the goddess, Judith Mackenzie McCuin. It has been said many times but I would gladly pay to sit in a room and hear Judith talk on any subject any time. I have left with several unsuccessful dyeing attempts and a few that don't suck. There was also a "bloggers lunch" which included about 2% of the bloggers in attendance. We thought about a banquet room for next year. I suggested it would be smaller and simpler to have a luncheon for the people who don't have blogs.
Sunday: Morning class on Color Progression in Plying with the glorious Judith. Yet another chance to hone my color sense. Lots of fun. Photos later.
Afternoon class on Three Wild Downs with Judith again. We spun buffalo, yak and cashmere. Then Judith threw in baby camel, buffalo/silk and lots more. Photos later.
I made one teensy yarn purchase. After all I had no money left at all after buying the wool combs. I also received a Cotswold lamb fleece from Denise who is attempting to prune her fiber stash.
It's hard to say what I enjoyed most this weekend but making new friends, spending time with old friends and getting to know people much better was a great highlight. And I got to knit while I was doing it. Whee!
Quick rundown.
Thursday: All day wool combing class. End result: No blood loss and I now own a set of these. That's right, folks, envy me.
Friday: All day fiber blending class. So much fun. Really motivating and inspirational. Jill Laski is a lovely person, a wonderful teacher and has a killer sense of color. I left class with two shopping bags full of carded batts.
Saturday: All day dyeing for socks (but really it could have been dyeing for anything) class with the goddess, Judith Mackenzie McCuin. It has been said many times but I would gladly pay to sit in a room and hear Judith talk on any subject any time. I have left with several unsuccessful dyeing attempts and a few that don't suck. There was also a "bloggers lunch" which included about 2% of the bloggers in attendance. We thought about a banquet room for next year. I suggested it would be smaller and simpler to have a luncheon for the people who don't have blogs.
Sunday: Morning class on Color Progression in Plying with the glorious Judith. Yet another chance to hone my color sense. Lots of fun. Photos later.
Afternoon class on Three Wild Downs with Judith again. We spun buffalo, yak and cashmere. Then Judith threw in baby camel, buffalo/silk and lots more. Photos later.
I made one teensy yarn purchase. After all I had no money left at all after buying the wool combs. I also received a Cotswold lamb fleece from Denise who is attempting to prune her fiber stash.
It's hard to say what I enjoyed most this weekend but making new friends, spending time with old friends and getting to know people much better was a great highlight. And I got to knit while I was doing it. Whee!
January 25, 2007
This Close
I'm one-third of the way through the slip stitch crochet edge on my Ribbons Baby Blanket but it will have to wait until Sunday night to get finished. I'm waiting for my fellow carpooler to show up to head out the door and don't want to drag a heavy cotton blanket with me.
See you Sunday!
See you Sunday!
January 24, 2007
Crunch Time
Babysitter should arrive in a few minutes. I'm off for the Seattle Knitters Guild (I'm the President, have I mentioned that?). Keep your fingers crossed that I get Helen Hamann's projector set up correctly. The Northwest Asian American Film Festival kicks off tonight so Wes (he's the Director) is all tied up with that. When I get home I have to pack for Madrona. I'll try to get a Thursday post up but I may have to bypass it in favor of sleep. I'm very sorry. I'll be back on Sunday so have a great weekend.
January 23, 2007
I Wish They Had This Last Summer
Webs is doing grab bags of Cotton Classic. Great for the Psychedelic Squares Afghan.
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