Brother's hat and Fish update

The double hat for my little bro is nearly done, however, just now, while taking the photo's of it, I realized that the blue stripes are pretty hideous with the green... So I have some frogging ahead of me (ERGH) then change the stripes to black, much more suitable. The yarn I'm using is Bernat Satin, an impulse purchase/fast buy when someone needed to stop by the craft store before dropping me off for the train. I'm completely shocked that I love this yarn so much. I was becoming a little bit of a yarn snob, but just starting to figure out that expensive does not necessarily translate to good. So yeah, just like anything else really - DUH, I'm slow, I know! But this Satin is soooo soft! It has a lovely sheen AND it's cheap!



As for the fishies, they're getting there, as you can see. However, I HATE chenille, really! Certainly the stuff I've got. It hurts my fingers to knit with, it's stringy, and I strongly suspect that it will start going 'bald' in no time. But somehow I know that I have to get this done, I have a gazillion yards of the stuff and nothing else to make with it. Anyway, the fish are starting to come together, there are 9 so far. And I know that I will love the optical illusion that just 2 colors will create.

I'm fishing!

I'm really excited about this, I'm not sure what this excitement says about me, but I don't think I really care. I managed to find a pattern for the fish afghan that I had seen so long ago online. I think that the pattern has been taken down now, so I'm thinking that I won't be able to post it here, but you can keep an eye on this blog to see if she puts it back up.

I have only completed one fish so far, but I'm so pleased that it gives me the opportunity to get rid of this chenille that I've had forever, that I didn't really know what to do with (definitely a buying error). The colors, to me, seem perfect (an olive green, a deep blue and a rich beige). I will keep a little update on how this project is going, since I suspect that it will keep me busy for a while.

In the meantime, the gothic window lace scarf is getting longer and I've been busy making the Soho scarves.

On another note, there are whispers again about another (yes! ANOTHER) transit strike. It's all a bit of a mess, but the long and short of it is that the contract deal for the workers, that the TWU and MTA worked so long at agreeing to, was rejected by MTA workers (by only a handful of votes too). I can only hope that it doesn't happen again, although another mug would be cool - it's certainly not worth the craziness of a strike.

Hubby's Hat

He was patient, he waited long enough. But now I have finished the double hat for Mr. B. One side is the Foo Fighter's logo which he gridded for me, the other is just the double stripe in grey and black. He says that he likes it, which is great. I still need to sort out my stranding technique, it doesn't seem to come out as pretty as it could (which you can see in the FF side). It came out lumpy on all 3 attempts of doing the logo, no matter how loose I did it! Although
the last attempt was the loosest and least lumpy.

I'm a Bandwidth Thief!

Yup, it's true, I have stolen Bandwidth. I feel soooooo stooopid, I didn't even think about it. I was trying to join a web ring (seems so unlikely now eh?) and I had tried to get the code on there right (it wasn't working properly and the image wasn't coming up). So I decided to find the image and adapt the code like with another ring. It worked! I had the image, I felt that I should pass the approval and be approved.

I got an email yesterday saying that I will not be approved at this time because I'm a stealer of the bandwidth - DOH! I had linked directly to this lady's image on her site - double DOH! I have apologized profusely (still hoping to avoid jail time) and fixed it immediately. I will give it another week and see if I'm approved.....

How cool is this?

Look what work has given us!! I love it, it's the best gift from work ever, it will certainly make me smile when I have a cuppa tea out of it. That's it today, hope it was all warm and happy for you too.

Ribby ipod sock

What an interesting knitting day. I learnt to knit in the round using two circulars. I used "Andrade's" tutorial, which was really informative and I got it first go. I much prefer it to knitting with dpns (where I have nearly lost an eye on more than one occassion), it was easy and I will never go back to dpns, EVER.

So I cast on and managed to knit my own design of an ipod sock using the shine and twist yarn that I had left over from the armwarmers which were knit in the same stitch (supple rib, but with an accidental diference), so they match... if you like that kind of thing. It was quick and easy to make, and because of the stretch of the rib, the sock fits small and large ipods (mine is 2nd gen, old and brick-like, but I've had it for about 3 years and it's still going strong).

Friendly deliveries

Never had service quite like it. We ordered food from a local diners (our fave one in the neighborhood). The delivery was a little slow today and even slower getting up the stairs (being on the 6th floor of a walk-up!). The man came in a put the food on the cooker for us - yes he came into the apartment! He came up to me (I'm in the middle of my ribby ipod sock) shook my hand and wished me a happy new year - okay it's not such a big deal since I'm sat right by the door and the kitchen thanks to the layout of our super tiny apartment - but still weird.
But it cheered me up to see someone so happy and friendly bring food to us. Ipod sock info coming very soon.

Change

Yup, I changed it [site design], I must have looked at a million different designs (I'm not that original to come up with my own quite yet) and this is the one I decided on. I am waiting opinion from pple. On looking back I've realized that this is not the most interesting (to read) site, but then it was never really intended for others to read - I just got daring recently, as well as linked from some sites. So, must think about it and figure out how to 'take it up a notch'.....

Gothic Window Lace

I have been busy, really, I have. Actually, a lot of it has been research, I'm looking how to change the site a little, I've discovered that things look as I want on my mac, but look at the site with IE on windows and it's another story. Since most people have windows I need to sort it out so it's a bit more user friendly for everyone. I'm trying out some things now and hope to have a change soon.

As for what I've been doing knitting-wise. Not too much, just some stained glass scarves, ordered a bunch of yarn and am going to knit these in earnest as I promised that I would try to see if they would be a popular item in Soho. Should be interesting anyway.


I've also been lace knitting with some Merino laceweight that I bought from school products about a month ago. The pattern is straight from the Knitter's Bible and is called Gothic Window. It took me ages to find one that I felt worked, I am also ready to design my own lace pattern (hush, hush right now - but if it works out, it will be tres cool). Anyway, this one in progress used 49 sts to cast on and is about 7" wide (size 2 needles - using my new needlemaster set), it is taking forever, but mostly because I've been so easily distracted by other projects and ideas too.

Supple rib knit arm warmers

EDIT: I have made a lot of corrections for this pattern, I hope that will solve any issues people have been experiencing.

This is a long title I know, but it says what it is. My second ever pattern. Again it's a simple flat knit arm warmer pattern using the supple rib, but I really didn't know what else to do with the yarn. I used 2 balls of the knitpicks "shine and twist" in grass, I'm not a green fan (yeah, why did I buy this yarn?) but I love the ribbing and the way the yarn really shows off the stitches.


Once again, people are free to use the pattern for personal or non-profit use.

Done in supple rib pattern.
Key:
K1 = Knit one
SI1 = k next stitch, but don't slip it off the left needle, then purl same st and next st tog

Needed:
size 4 needles
size 5 needles (optional for loose bind off)
Darning needle
2 balls of Knitpicks, shine and twist (60% Pima Cotton, 40% Modal) 110 yards/50 grams ball
Gauge: 6 sts per Inch on size 4 needles

The following pattern is knit in the flat. HOWEVER, it could easily be adapted to knit in the round (no sewing or nasty joins to worry about). Just cast on maybe 45 or 48 stitches and knit the pattern in the round. Just remember that row 2 would be knit instead of purl, and you will still need to make a hole for the thumb (where you could turn the knitting and knit flat for the length needed for the thumb - approx 2", then rejoin the knitting in the round for another inch and cast off). I have not tested this in the round so I do not take responsibility for any knitting disasters, if anyone has suggestions for the round pattern, let me know.

PLEASE NOTE, this is SI1 (si1) instruction - see key above. NOT to be confused with SL1 (sl1, slip one)

Supple rib
Row 1 (right side): K1, *SI1, K1; rep from * to end
Row 2: Purl

CO 52 sts.
Rows 1-12: K in supple rib for 12 rows (6 repeats of pattern)
Row 13: K1, *SI1, K1; rep from * to end
Row 14: Next row P2tog, P to last 2 sts, P2tog (50 sts)
Row 15: *SI1, K1; rep from * to last 2 sts then SI1.
Row 16: P2tog, P to last 2 sts, P2tog. (48 sts)
Rows 17, 19, 21, 23, 25: K 1 *SI1, K1; repeat from * to last 2 sts; then SI1
Rows 18, 20, 22, 24: Purl
Row 26: P2tog, Purl to last 2 sts, P2tog (46)
Rows 27, 29, 31, 33, 35: *SI1, K1; repeat from *; then K1
Rows 28, 30, 32, 34: Purl
Rows 36: p2tog, purl to last 2 sts, p2tog (44)
Row 37: K1, *SI1, K1; rep from * to last st, K1
Row 38: Purl
Rep rows 37 and 38 until piece measures approx 10 inches, cast off loosely, I use size 5 needles.

Sew up edge leaving a 2" gap where you want your thumb (try it on to check), I put the gap about 1" from the top.

Copyright, Schrodinger Knits 2005.

Happy New Year

Well, I had a wonderful time seeing in and celebrating the new year. We went out to friends for some drinks (nice champagne and, of course, beer) before heading off to the Frying Pan to see in the New Year. Never been before, what a fun place! Great music, loads of different rooms to explore. It was very cool and interesting, with an eclectic crowd. We loved it, but after dancing for a few hours some of us were tuckered, so headed off to a bar closer to our friends place. Then we went up to our local for a night cap, getting home about 5:30. I'm shattered today though, I did managed to finish the arm-warmers in the supple rib, my second ever own design (i.e. not just an adapted pattern). I will be posting pictures and the pattern tomorrow - too sleepy now. Not sure what to do next. I have the lace weight yarn but still haven't found the pattern I really want to do with it yet. I do have to get started on the ends for my knitting needles as well, an interesting experiment, but more about that if they succeed.