Itty Bitty Knitting

One of my more exciting knitting moments involved knitting a thong in a bar in 20 minutes for $20 and a round of drinks. My newest finished knitting project doesn't have that same guerilla crafting spirit but I have returned to the idea of making knitted underwear. Recently at least four knitting books dedicated to lacy, saucy underthings have been published. This particular pattern, free from interweave.com, has a frilly girly look without being fussy. Finally something I knit that I can wear in the summer.

Size Does Matter

The first time I made the Phyllotaxis Tam by Norah Gaughan it was great fun but it turned out too big. I have a perfectly average sized head- I have double checked. And no, I did not knit a gauge swatch, so don't even start with that. I have been wanting to do the pattern again because the top of the hat is a really fun series of right and left slants and a friend's birthday is the perfect opportunity to show off my skills. I decided to use Taos yarn by Crystal Palace and I really like how it turned out. Unfortunately this time I decided that I needed to knit the child's size since the other was much too big (for me and her) and now this one is too small. It fits, mind you, but it looks way more like a beanie than the classy cloche that the author intended. Well Hell's bells, I'm done with this one folks. The next time I want to investigate a phyllotaxis I will go ponder a pine cone.

The Hat That's Been on My Mind

I took some time for myself last night after finishing a little wooly to do some knitting. I have been spending so much time felting lately that I have been neglecting my knitting needles. What got me going was the need for a super soft slouchy hat. A bit more fashionable than a beanie and less snooty than a beret, you can throw it on over bedhead but still look pulled together. Another bonus for me at the moment is that you can easily finish it in an evening. I started with a pattern but when it wasn't going like I wanted I winged it so if you want it leave me a message and I'll post it here for everyone. I made this one in Bernat Alpaca Blends which is soft as a kitten. Meow!

Never Can Tell

It is midnight and I should be sleeping since I have to be up in less than seven hours. So what am I doing? Looking for knitting patterns online. Well I was poking around a list of free hat patterns and just happened on a site with a cute hat pattern and there was a sidebar titled "Gifts For Knitters". So I clicked over and was scrolling down the list. My thought here was that maybe I ought to put a bug in this lady's ear about my knit pendants. So I get about half way down and it says "Resin knit pendants". Since I have never seen anyone doing the same thing and I HAVE looked I was stunned and felt a bit ill. I clicked on the link and lo and behold twas my Etsy shop! What a shock! Now if only these people who are admiring them from afar would start giving them to all the knitters on their X-Mas gift lists and spreading my yarny good bling.

Spawn of the Sockupine

I am trying to be good. Before diving into a new pair of socks with my precious new Regia I dumped out the sock bag and untangled the sockupine (see April post). I started knocking out the heel on one leftover second sock and turned my attention to another pair. Well, I am not sure how this happened exactly but I don't have any recollection of what pattern I was using. None at all. And the heel is done and it's not one I have done before this sock. WTF? I can remember the first yarn I ever bought. I can remember the first sock pattern I knit. But I have no idea where these socks came from. Maybe someone else worked on them and stuck them in my bag? Maybe my addled brain has taken to sleepknitting? I am not sure what to do other than flip through things I bought around that time and hope to stumble onto the pattern. Otherwise? Another pair of socks to rip out damn it! Or I could stick it back in the sock bag and get out my Regia...

Knit1 Gives Me Fits

Knit1 has always pushed the envelope a bit with their patterns. That's their goal, to knit funky, unusual things aimed at a younger audience. Well, I don't know if I have outgrown the "hip" age group they are targeting but MY GOD what have they been thinking? Every issue there are a couple of things that are just ridiculous but the fall 2007 issue hardly has anything in it I would waste thrift store acrylic on. I couldn't find a pic, but take for instance the "Fingerlettes". While fingerless gloves are practical and can even be a little punk knitted finger condoms in a matching set of 10 are just idiotic. Is this to hide a terrible case of onychomycosis? Help hopeless nail biters? Jeez. Move on to the dress in the Back to Work spread. Anyone who knits with me knows my stance on knitted dresses but this one takes the cake. I don't know anyone who would look good in this style of dress even if it were made in sumptous satin or sublime silk but swathing yourself in gathered electric blue acrylic knit? Not a good fashion idea even for the most lithe and lovely among us. I can only think of one thing I have ever actually knit out of Knit1 and I changed it up a lot but usually it's at least good for some inspiration and to see some new trends and designers and a few quirky things. I do believe though that now I may be holding onto my $5.99 each season. Basically flipping through this rag only makes me wonder why I can't just throw all the unfinished projects in my bag out on the floor, seam them together, send it to Knit1 and get paid as a "knitwear designer". Man, my cat wears a better sweater than the drivel in this issue.

Lucy Goosey

Wow. You would think that having the Tibetan character for "patience" tattooed on my arm would help to instill a bit in me, but alas no. I have been coveting the Lucy Bag pattern by Two Old Bags for a looong time now (think 2 years?) but have yet to drop the $7 on it because that seems like a lot to pay for one bag. So today I get a wild hair and decide, to hello with it, I am buying that sucker and I am starting on it NOW. Well, there are a couple of problems with that. First, no one has put it into PDF so I can't buy it and download it and start right in. I have to buy it, pay for shipping, and then WAIT. And if I am going to do that shouldn't I just buy special yarn to make it out of too? So what was going to be an impromptu Sunday project has turned into a big planned out thing that's nagging at me and taking up brainspace. I sometimes wonder if I obsess about knitting so much to avoid obsesing even more about all the heavy crap that goes on in my life. You know, obsess over whether to knit the Lucy Bag in Cascade 220 or Lamb's Pride rather than whether to go back to school now or wait? Whether to start looking into buying a house? Moving somewhere else? Dear God. I have opened a colossal can of worms...