Jofrog is Knitfrog!
July 29 2005
...but I ran out of yarn and needed to get more the next day! Look at me here, making the hot new blogland pattern! Somehow I couldn't resist. When I found out that we have a wedding to go to in two weeks I thought hmm, what will I wear. How about that strapless black dress. It needs something, why not a One Skein Wonder? Click to see the back too! I used Lana Grossa "Bingo" in black (3 skeins) and then did the edging holding Berroco's Metallic FX with it. Don't believe me? Here's a sparkle pic for you! I thought about doing the whole thing in Bling Bling but I guess that I can only really handle a little bling! I Wanted To Call This The One Night Wonder...
July 27 2005
Just a little hello to show you the buttons I picked up at A Good Yarn for the paw print sweater. Aren't they perfect. Knitting progress soon...Woof
July 26 2005
Wow... just check out these new designs from Pick Up Sticks. It's just amazing what some people design and what can be knit. It seems sometimes like there are just no limitations! Not to mention their amazing bag and hat patterns. These are cool people. Go find their patterns and felt something funky today!You Can Knit That?
July 25 2005
I'm in the home stretch now with the paw print sweater! I LOVE the contrasting sleeve, (which is a good thing because there weren't many other choices and I'm sure the different dye lots would scream out if I used them in the sleeves). I was waiting until I had some time to process it before I seamed up that sleeve and side, but I think I'm there! I was working on the other front at Knitsmiths yesterday until I realized that I'd figured out the button placement on the finished peice, but in the intrest of space I hadn't brought it with me! Whoops. It did give me the opportunity to work on my Sirdar lace cardigan, that has been somewhat neglected. Hopefully two finished sweaters in the next week or so! Woo hoo! Happy Monday, have a great one. Life's a lot happier when we aren't grumpy on Mondays. Knitty Kitty... um Puppy?
July 22 2005
I finished up the flip flop sockletts yesterday. I can not wait to deliver them tomorrow! I hope that she loves them! I used some left over Regia 4ply that I had around here from a pair of baby socks ages ago. I never strive to make my socks match. These I wanted to start off with a double stripe, but other than that I started where it started. I think, if I make these again, that I'll make them match... although they are aweful cute either way! For those who care, the pattern can be found here (for free). Thanks to Cari for making the first pair I saw and turning me onto this great idea! I made the medium size on size 1 (2.25mm) needles for my co-workers itty bitty feet. They fit me, but if I were to make another pair I'd make the largest size. All in all the pattern is perfect, with the one oddity that they tell you to reverse shaping for the left foot... um really either can go on either foot so I made two rights and again... they fit! Now go find a few hours and make yourself a pair or make a pair for a college girl in your life!Fraternal By Design
July 21 2005
So, I'm knitting along happilly on my tank here, but also knitting dilligantly on the dog paw sweater and the second flip flop sock so progress, although progressing, is slow! I'm working this in the round rather than in two flat pieces because it seemed to make sense. Less finishing, yes! That means a few modifications, cast on one extra stitch, increase one less later on... and then I decided that I'd made too large of a size. This tank is not meant to have ease. Negative ease is the key here. So, rather than ripping out the whole thing I left it larger at my hips and reworked the waist shaping decreases to get down me down to the smaller size. Looks like it's working so far! One thing that you can't tell from the picture in the magazine is the back of this tank is ribbed! What a great idea. Again, allowing for a close fit. Ribbing is a magical thing in my book. And look at how nice it looks: Off to knit away... sockletts first, then tank! Happy Knitting.TIP (Tank In Progress)
This picture was taken with no flash to show off the texture.
The color is more true on the front.
July 20 2005
When is the last time that you thought you could knit a garment for less than it would cost to buy it? Probably right before you started knitting, right? Well, have I got the exception for you! A Good Yarn is still having their 50% off sale and there is so much good yarn left! I had my eyes on this Phildar tank for a while, just in the wings, maybe some day, but probably not, until... 50% off Saucy Sport brings the price to $1.75 a skein! I need 5 for the project, I had a $2.40 credit, that brings the cost to $6.35. How could I resist? This yarn kind of followed me home, but can you blame me? Progress shots tomorrow!$6.35
July 19 2005
There apparently has been a lot of sock knitting around here! Who knows when I fit it in, but I find myself with progress to report on many pairs. First off, since Tuesdays are for Knitalongs, I present my sock pal's first sock in progress. I just turned the heel on this short bobble sock out of Koigu. The pattern is from one of the Koigu sock books and is fun to do. Ahh bobbles do have their place, on socks of course! I also found the time to finish the leg of the second Safari sock and give it a heel as well. After doing a heel flap and a short row heel in such close succession, I can definitely say that I enjoy knitting a short row heel more. That heel flap can go on forever sometimes, though this one wasn't so bad! Inspired by Cari, I had to start a pair of the little flip flop socks for a co-worker of mine who is about to turn 21! Yes, really, she'll be turning 21 this week! These are just perfect for her and knit up in no time. I started this one just before Knitsmiths and finshed it while I was there. One more to come of course! Lastly for today, I was adding some things to my WIP and Future WIP sidebar and noticed that the Clown Socks were listed there as a WIP. For shame! They were so close to being done ages ago! I was almost done with the second ruffle and then punked out on them so today I worked on them for long enough to finish that HUGE ruffle, and do the amazingly long and yarn demanding picot bind off and I present to you Clown Socks that may never see the light of day, but gosh were they fun to knit. Another side note for this project... I don't think I have huge calves, but gosh, add a big ruffle there and then check out how they look. Um, maybe not as cute and flattering as I'd first expected. Check out the second pic for a way that they may actually get worn in public. Well, that's it for today's sock tour. Phew, I'm tired are you? Back to the sweaters, and maybe I'll clue you in on that other WIP that appeared on the list sometime soon!Put Your Best Foot Forward
July 18 2005
Finally, after taunting you and then making you wait a whole weekend, here is the back of my newest baby sweater project: One of my favorite little people will be turning 2 in October and this will be his birthday present. I originally met his mom and dad, years ago, before they were married, at Naomi's dog park. She and their dog, Tucker, would play together every morning and his parents and I would chat. Unfortunately, they no longer go to our dog park, but Tucker still gets a morning jaunt, and now the baby goes along for the walk as well. I thought this little sweater would be the perfect dog park garb! It's a V-necked cardigan from The Gift Knitter. This is one horrible book. Definitely not worth looking for unless you have a lot of babies AND dogs to knit for, AND you want to make the kids ugly sweaters (except for this one of course), and make the dogs sweaters that won't stay on or keep them warm because there is no stomach protection. Naomi's stomach is bare; no hair at all. If she wears a jacket or sweater it had better cover her tummy. That said, this cardigan is just perfect for this little boy! As for the dye lot issues, they still exist. Currently I'm working on the second front. I've used the odd dye lot for the bottom border and button band and it doesn't seem to show too much. I'll either use the odd dye lots for the sleeves or I may be leaning towards doing the sleeves in the paw print color. Any thoughts?Ta Da
July 15 2005
You know the, "alternate skeins every two rows to blend dye lots together" solution that everyone always talks about but no one really does... they don't do it because it doesn't work! You'll have to wait until Monday for the big reveal on the new project, (Dava was closest on the yarn though!), it is though, the yarn that I talked about on Wednesday. When we were in the yarn store Alison suggested that I used the odd skeins for the sleeves. I mentioned alternating and she stopped, gave me a look, and asked "have you ever actually done that?" I hadn't, I replied and she went on to tell me that whenever she'd tried it, it just looked like stripes and that in her opinion using the odd dye lots for the sleeves would be much less noticeable. There is quite a difference in dye lots, (I know, I know, I should have gone with a different color but I was so set on my orange!), so I wanted to try to blend them. This picture is blurry, but it was the best one I could get to show the stripes, and they are there. Can you spell R-I-P? Good news is I'm cranking along now and there will be major progress to show on Monday, if you can wait that long. One last shout out and thank you to Erin who identified what school has these colors and a paw print. I kept looking at it and thinking and couldn't get to Clemson. Now I can think about more important things like will the sleeves match well enough to not look odd or will this whole project be a bust.No Probem, Just Alternate Skeins
July 14 2005
Any guesses?Sneak Peak
July 13 2005
Sometimes the best laid plans don't quite pan out for me. I was all set to start on the next little sweater last night. I knew the yarn I wanted to use, I knew the colors, I just needed to pick them up. Can you see where this is going? I started looking for the colors a little bit before closing time. Not a problem, right? This should be a quick in and out. All decisions have been made, it's like picking up already made dinner from Stop and Shop. First problem, the contrasting color wasn't there. Okay, if I was really dead set on these colors I should have bought them when I first concieved this project. Lots of colors over to the table under the light to find a good substitute CC. With Alison's help, new color was decided on. All set, the store is closing now, lets just get five balls of the MC and get out of here. Dig dig dig in the bin, come out with four. Arg. Go in back, one more is found, yeah! Check dye lots as a formality, of course they'll all be the same, right? Um no. Three are the same dye lot, one is different, and one has an obviously wrong tag on it showing a different color number. All of the balls go off into the light, visably two different dye lots. The sad end of this story is I leave the store, no yarn in hand, and I hope to try again today with more time and possibly more MC will be found and I can start tonight. The happy end of this story was I got to do a bit of selfish knitting and work on the Sirdar lace cardigan last night! Progess shots to come soon.Yarn Woes
July 12 2005
I'd been trying hard to work diligently on the baby sweaters, while not neglecting my lace cardigan. Guess what happened... It has been waiting to get to the ever elusive 8" armhole measurement and finally Saturday night, after the rehersal dinner, after a long ride home, after prying my eyelids open after every few stitches, I finally finished the back! I really love this sweater and I want to get it wearable soon, so before I had a chance to pick up the yarn for the next baby sweater in line I cast on for the left front! Woo hoo! I'm actually almost up to the second decrease for waist shaping. I hope that it will go relatively quickly because it's the perfect cardigan for over-airconditioned places. I thought about showing you a picture, but really... imagine three inches of white lace on the needles. Yup, that's what it looks like! Happy Tuesday!It's About Time!
July 11 2005
We just returned home from Miranda's wedding weekend! It was a wonderful time, everything went off without a hitch, and most importantly two of my best friends are now married to each other! Congratulations Miranda and Mike!Home and Happy
July 9 2005
This is a special Saturday post to show you this: Finally finished last night during "Hide and Seek". Dakota Fanning is honestly one of my favorite actors! What intensity for a little girl! Now I'm off for Miranda's wedding weekend festivities! Expect pictures on Monday! Have a great weekend and think good weather thoughts for tonight and all of Sunday! Special Saturday Post
Three Piece Baby Set by Blue Sky Alpaca
Color 81 Two skeins with plenty of leaway
July 8 2005
Um... so I kind of did the wrong knitting "S" verb last night. I've been working so hard on the baby sweater and thinking so much of my Sockapal2za sock and last night the sock won out! Don't worry, the baby sweater will be done for this weekend. The sleeves are in (and should fit alright Wendy). It only needs two side seams and a neck to be knit. I just couldn't do it yesterday! Introducing the very beginning of my sock pal's sock! Of course I couldn't work on that exclusively either! I went to a youth baseball game last night and the new Koigu sock requires too much attention so Mike's safari sock it was. When I got to the park one of the kids' moms was sitting there knitting a sock too so we had a little "sock circle" for a while. She put hers away when the game started, not me though! Check out the progress during an eight inning game! (Oh and it's one of the best games they played this season and they won!) Socking and Seaming Both Start With "S"
July 6 2005
Home since 8:30PM. Quick dinner then sleeve knitting. Time for bed now, two sleeves done, short day of work tomorrow then seaming and a collar! Woo hoo, sweater in a four days! Ahh if only work didn't get in the way, imagine how quickly it would have been done then! Goodnight!Update
While still at Knitsmiths on Sunday, after securing the last loose end on the Opal sweater, I promptly cast on for my next project. This may be the "Summer of Lace" for some, and while I am doing a lace cardigan, and plan on doing a lace shawl after that this is "Summer of Babies" for me. Next baby sweater up is the "Three Piece Baby Set" from Blue Sky Alpaca. I'm using their yarn and ahhh! Ready for pictures? Here is the completed back! (My goal is a Friday completion date for this. It's not set in stone, but it would be really nice.) Wendy, you thought that the last one was fast, I'm going to break that speed record!Next
Click to see the full extent of my progress through last night.
July 5 2005
The baby sweater is done! Woo hoo. I had a definite goal to finish that baby sweater by today and I put the finishing touches (weaving in ends and seaming) on it during Knitsmiths on Sunday, days ahead of schedule! Ahhh. Buttons today and it will be delivered to its rightful owner! I used an older version of this pattern which said that for the two smaller sizes only one ball of Opal yarn was needed for the sweater and the hat. I only made the sweater and had barely enough to seam with comfortably! The newer version of the pattern says two balls for all sizes... definitely more accurate! Now it's time for the wrist to heal with a new project. ...but off to work first! Have a great day.El Sueter Pequeno
July 1 2005
Not much knitting news around here. I'm knitting, I finished something with the exception of a bit of seaming and a bit of felting, but no real progress to show. That doesn't mean that there isn't news though... my cousin Jen, (my maid of honor and wonderful friend) will be moving less than an hour away from me in about a month! She's coming out this weekend to spend the 4th of July with us down on Boson's Esplanade for the Boston Pops and Fireworks and then will be training for her new job for a week. Anyone else that will be down there? Be sure to look for us among the hoards of other people or email me and we'll plan a meet up! The next question is, where are the best yarn stores on Cape Ann? I know that there is one in Rockport, and believe me, once she moves up to that area I'm so checking out anything else in the area as well! Yeah for Jen, yeah for family, yeah for yarn!My Cousin is Moving To Town!
I've been getting a lot of use out of wedding pictures lately!
