Jofrog is Knitfrog!
May 31 2006
Margene said in the comments that I must have liked knitting on the Fountain Lace Cardi to start another lace cardi so soon! Truth is, I really like to think when I knit. I like to follow charts. I like color charts more because they are more intuitive to me, but lace is fun too. All of that mish-mosh that turns itself into leaves and hearts and whatever other beautiful lacey goodness! This next lace cardigan isn't for me though. It's for a little one. I've started the "Pea Pod Baby Set" from the newest IK. It's a free pattern on their website, you don't even need to be a subscriber or buy the magazine! Woo hoo, (especially since it's the only thing I'd see myself knitting in this newest one... not that there aren't other good patterns, just none I'd knit.) I'm using a new Berroco yarn called Touche and I really like it. It's very silky smooth and is knitting up beautifully at a DK weight gauge. It says that it should be knit at 5st/inch, but I defintitely think it's too loose that way. I'll let you form your own opinions as it grows! Off to work, have a great day!More Lacey Goodness!
Beginings of baby lace.
May 30 2006
I guess I should check in with a finished pair of socks before May is over! Here goes! Details: I love these socks, I love this colorway. If I were to dye yarn, I'd want to dye it these colors. That's why Dani dyed me this one special for my birthday! Thank you! I wanted to do something special with them, but I love the stockinette bottoms of the socks almost as much as the lacey tops. This yarn is great! Almost the End of May
May 28 2006
Yeah, the Fountain Lace Cardigan is officially, officially done! Yeah, Yahoo, Yipee! Hey, let's just look at it, shall we? In case you are just tuning in: Yahoo!
Awe, all folded, all nice-nice.
Let's lay it all out here.
Look at that fountain lace!
Hey, the lace is on the back too!
And, it fits!
...I can even button it!
(I can button it all the way down, but it looks dumb because it is so cropped)
Thanks for your support with this one. Believe it or not, I've already started another lace cardigan! I had a one step forward, two steps back night at Knitsmiths, so I'll wait for another day to share that one. Enjoy the rest of your Memorial Day Weekend!
May 26 2006
STILL DRYING! Can you stand it? It's getting closer to dry though, maybe tomorrow... probably Sunday. If you want a sneak peak you can get one on the Knitsmiths Site. Happy Friday!Fountain Lace Updated
May 24 2006
This BamBoo is very prissy... most sweaters are lucky if they get one good bath at the end of seaming, this BamBoo sweater has gotten one every step along the way! Button bands and collar are on. All seams are sewn. Buttons are purchased. Now it just needs a few days to dry! ...maybe you'll see it again on Friday.One Final Bath!
May 23 2006
Despite living the next town over for years, I'd never been to Webs! Well, their big tent sale was going on this past weekend, my mom was going to be there, and what a better way to end my vacation! I went with no plan, if anything I had a plan to not buy yarn, or maybe just yarn for the PeaPod Baby Set from the newest IK. It could have been a lot worse. Do you have any clue how much yarn is in this store? Do you have any clue the deals they have in their warehouse EVERY DAY? Wow. I'll be sure to stop by again next time I'm in Western MA!My Vacation Ended at Webs!
Click to open the bag.
May 22 2006
Thanks for your help on identifying the Cotton Ease. I actually think that I (or my mom) bought it, shortly after I made my Smooch Tank. The real question is where did that extra 30g go? Well, who knows, but I knit with it anyways! Little Cargo Pants still waiting for pockets! Silly little project, maybe? But I think that they will be pretty easy to slip on and off over a little one's bum, and they are darn cute! ...pockets to come, probably!Who Knows Where It Came From, But I'll Use It!
May 19 2006
Okay, all of you faithful readers out there... I don't need no stinkin' quiz to know that you guys read and listen to me! So, here's how you can help me out... how did this yarn get into my stash? One full ball, one is missing 30g. I have no recollection of ever getting or using any of this yarn. Do you? Did I get it in a swap? Did you give it to me? Please, help a knitter out. Well... no matter where it came from, I've already started a new project with it! Wait until next week to see it!Help Me Identify My Stash
May 18 2006
So, yesterday Norah asked about my thoughts on the Green Gable pattern. Well, lets just say that if I'd read the KAL blog before I'd cast on I wouldn't have started it. Aparently the pattern was really thrown together. There are no stitch counts... ANYWHERE in the pattern! There is no finished measurements schematic or even finished measurements listed out. Thanks to the KAL I found out that the XS size that I was knitting was designed to fit a six year old. I may be small, but I'm no six year old! I wasn't about to rip out all I'd done, so I added a few extra increase rounds, no biggie... Then I tried it on. Not quite as skin tight as I'd wanted, so I did some waist decreases after the bust. Funny though, the pattern says to do waist decreases, but no increases. I know that my small form definitely has a bust, a waist, and hips! So I did some increases at the bottom. I kept on going, started to worry about yarn... I took a body time out to finish the sleeves (all four rows of them), and then went back to the body. Well, it's about 11.5 inches long, and it's just not going to cut it. Want some proof? All in all I need an extra ball of yarn now, I probably won't be able to wear it on Saturday, the pattern is something that anyone could make up on their own... but better, and actually make it fit. If you haven't bought this pattern already, don't. ...or do! Don't let me make your decisions for you, that's just my experience with it. Really cute design, horrible pattern.So Close!
May 16 2006
So, I'm on vacation this week! Woo hoo! Our actuall vacation plans got nixed by the weather, but we are having a wonderful vacation at home, full of knitting and movies and doggie time during the day and dinner with friends at night. Ahhh! That's right, I said knitting time! Saturday night I started Green Gable. I worked on Sunday, but still managed to get through the whole yoke by Sunday night and I'm fast forwarding through the body now. See: I debated for a long time on the color, but black ended up being the winner. Chic, versitile, flattering to any type of tan, I like it! Maybe I'll be able to finish it before the week is over... if I don't run out of yarn that is! We'll see! Happy Knititing!Vacation, All I Ever Wanted
May 15 2006
Mothers' Day for me and my mom has always involved lilacs. When I was little we would go to my dad's mom's house to see her on Mothers' day and then bring some lilacs from the tree in her front yard to my mom's mom's house. A few years ago as a house warming gift, I gave my mom a lilac bush of her own. That first Mother's day I went down to enjoy the bloomes with her. Lilacs of your own are wonderful, but nothing compares to the lilacs at the Arnold Arboretum. Every Mothers' day they run a program called "Lilac Sunday" and almost all of their lilac trees/bushes are in bloom. It's incredible any time during the months of April and May. My mom couldn't come up for Lilac Sunday this year, but that's probably a good thing because it has been non-stop rain around here. I did go twice last week (just before the rain started) and took pictures for everyone to enjoy. If you are in the Boston area, go to see the lilacs when the rain stops. If you aren't in the area, come next year, but more importantly hug your mom. I love you Mom! See you soon!For My Mom
May 10 2006
I just turned on the camera to take a picture of my newest sock... to show you that the heel was turned Saturday night while babysitting... to show you that I knit two inches or so of the foot during Knitsmiths on Sunday... to show you that it hasn't been picked up since then... I just turned on the camera to show you all of that, and the screen blinked "Battery Exhausted" and shut off. Do you think that if I go into work today with a flashing sign that says "Johanna Exhausted" they will let me off that easy too?Battery Exhausted, Can You Stand The Irony?
May 9 2006
Despite the fact that I haven't been knitting much, I keep finding things that are "must knits". I'm dying to buy the yarn right now for all of them, but if I do it will just sit with the other yarn that I'd really like to be knitting right now too! It's not that I don't have the desire, it's the time and the energy. Saturday I snuck over to the bookstore for a little bit and found a book I could not leave without... Knitting Nature. I hadn't heard anything about this book and had planned on writing a review Monday morning, but came home to see that Grumperina had done a great job. No need to duplicate, go read her review! I love this book. I brought it to Knitsmiths on Sunday and everyone there loved it too. Wow. It's just beautiful, but unlike some of the more artsy knitting books, there are a few things that I'd love to make out of it, starting with the Basalt Tank. One of the other things that have been catching my eye is Green Gable. I saw Thea's completed one on her blog, (she's working on number 2 now), and fellow Knitsmiths Alison and Shannon have started them too. It's a great pattern, calling for great, (and inexpensive) yarn. Gotta do it! (Can I buy the yarn today... P L E A S E!) The last thing that's really caught my eye and my attention is somewhat Knitsmiths related as well! At our yarn swap on Sunday Lisa had the newest issue of IK and my favorite thing out of there... the Pea Pod Baby Set. Best news, it's a free online pattern! Well, that should keep me busy for a while, especially since I can't seem to find the time even to block the last sleeve and sew it in for the Fountain Lace Cardigan! Things will slow down, things will slow down, things will slow down, or I'll make them!Too Much Inspiration
May 8 2006
An itty bit of knitting time leads to an itty bit of progress. Luckilly that's all I needed to finish the first ladybugs! You all were right when I posted those amazing Baby Ull colors. What else but the ladybug sweater! Now, I'm not fooling about the lack of knitting time. All last week there was not one night that I was home for more than an hour before going to bed. There's no time for knitting during the day, or in the mornings any more, so it's been very very sad! Of course, there has been time for new inspiration... at least three new things that I "must make". Hopefully I'll sneak in some blogging time for them tomorrow. Happy Knitting!Itty Bit of Knitty-time
May 4 2006
Wonder why the blogging has been so light lately? Well, I knit 32 stitches last night. One half of one round of the new sock. That's it. I can't wait for Knitsmiths on Sunday! Knit for me! Enjoy!32 Stitches
May 3 2006
While watching the Yankees/Red Sox Game Monday night I cast on for yet another pair of socks! I needed a good, self-striping, stockinette pair, for mindless knitting. I got through the cuff Monday night and then spent ALL DAY YESTERDAY (read: 6AM - 8:30PM) running one of the polling places for our local town elections. It was enough time to get a good length cuff worked and do the collar and a bit more seaming on the Fountain Lace Cardigan... I still can't put sleeve #2 in until it's washed and blocked, but one needs time at home for that and that won't come until Saturday Morning! Ahhhhh! Off again, see you again late tonight dear internet.Yankees, Red Sox, New Socks
