Jofrog is Knitfrog!
November 21 2006
I'm off to Connecticut in the morning for Thanksgiving. Hopefully it's a quick and easy drive, with no extra traffic for the extra pregnant me!
I'm bringing the Nantucket Jacket with me, and hope to make some good progress on it... maybe the right front done before I come home? We'll see!
I'm also bringing a wool soaker that I'm half way through, and possibly a Christmas gift that hasn't been cast on for yet... but there's still plenty of time for that right? I guess Tadpole is the one to decide that one!
Enjoy your Thanksgiving meals and Thanksgiving knits and, of course, be thankful for luxury fibers!Off to CT
November 20 2006
One last project was finished before the yarn came for my Nantucket Jacket. I put the final push in and finished Miranda's Grey Vest!
I used the fabulous Berroco Ultra Alpaca and Ann Budd's Handy Book of Patterns, with a little 3x1 rib thrown in for fun. Miranda had requested a vest like this one a few months ago while we were out shopping and judging by her reaction, (and the fact that she's worn it twice in the week since I've given it to her), I think this one fits the bill!
Thanks for everything Miranda! Enjoy it and keep warm!One Last FO
I wish I'd gotten a picture of her actually wearing it this past weekend, but this will have to do!
November 17 2006
...and she's right, but I'm too lazy! I started the "Nantucket Cardigan" last Friday after my yarn arrived. I haven't had much knitting time, and I can't pay attention for long when I do have time, but I've pretty much made it through most of the back of the sweater. I like it, but I don't love it. I wish I'd seen one made up, or studied the picture more (which wouldn't really have helped), or had swatched the pattern (like that was going to happen). From afar it looks good. How many people (other than the Knitsmiths will be looking at it more closely than that? I'm hoping not many. For those of you who haven't started it yet, let me tell you what I'd change if I were to take Alison's advice, Rip, and start over. (Granted, she told me this as she was ripping the ENTIRE body of a baby sweater to reknit on larger needles, so maybe it was more "misery loves company" speaking.) I don't like this little cable twisty guy. I am normally an even knitter and it looks all wonky and uneven. I'd replace it with a simple 2 stitch cable. Easy peasy. The other thing I don't like is how busy this sweater is. It's beautiful, and cabley, and great, and then after the bottom triangle gussets are finished, it goes into a lace pattern! A lace pattern? Why? If I were to change it I'd continue in seed stitch up that column... but again, I'm not ripping, so the lace will stay! I know that I will love this sweater when it is finished. I'm not much of a cabler, (I just don't enjoy it as much as color work or some other stitch pattern), so it will be good to know that I stuck with an adult sized cable project. I'm committed to doing my best to finish this sweater before the baby comes, so off I go to knit. One last comment on the pattern though, despite the things I griped about, it's written really well and so easy to follow. The cables cross every six rows, and all of the decreases or increases, so far, have happened every six rows as well. It's very user friendly, and I think that anyone could knit this if they wanted to. For that I'm thankful!Alison Thinks I Should Rip!
November 15 2006
Apparently I guilted some people into starting their double knit projects this week! I didn't intend to, but hey, if it works! Let's check on the progress: Dani finally started her hat this week at Knitsmiths. Now she just has to pick a FI pattern, oh, and figure out how to knit it! I can't wait to see next week's progress... no pressure Dani! No guilt was necessary to get Kris to finish her hat. Winter is coming, and this Southern CA girl will be warm in Boston! Julie started her double-knit hat last Friday, and is going to donate it to Rabbitch's hat drive for the homeless! Unfortunately, she had some issues with a wonky stripe and decided to do the right thing and RIP! I'm sure that whoever gets that hat will absolutely love it, and be glad for the extra effort, way to go Julie! For more Double-Knit charity knitting, go check out Knitty Otter's double-knit Dulaan hat, in my (and Tadpole's) favorite color combination, green and purple! Way to go, keep me updated with your progress you crazy double-knitting fools!Double Knit-Along Guilt
November 14 2006
I can't even start to put into words how amazing it is to have so many knitting friends! We had a little baby party at our home on Saturday with a lot of our friends, many of them Knitsmiths. I can't even believe how much everyone smothered this little Tadpole in yarny gifts! We all feel so loved! Terri has been making these bears, from a Debbie Bliss pattern, for friends for a while out of Rowan Cork. When Cork was discontinued I picked some up for her out of the sale bin. Apparently ever since she's been waiting for Tadpole's arrival so that she could make one for us. In true Terri style, she went overboard and designed a little dress to put on the bear, AND... made a matching sweater for the baby! Both the sweater and the dress are made out of Baby Cashmerino and are so soft and snuggly that I want to curl up with them all of the time... in fact, the bear has already had some significant snuggling time and is nap tested, and nap approved! Thanks Terri! The knits did not stop there though. Fellow Knitsmith Lisa knit Tadpole a cashmere cable and seed stitch hat. How absolutely luxurious, and what baby of mine doesn't deserve cashmere? One word of warning from Lisa, the new Debbie Bliss Pure Cashmere has significantly less yardage than is stated on the label. Significantly. Consider yourself warned. Let the knits parade continue with a frog set from Dani. This is from the new Dalegarn Book #164, which I haven't seen yet, but Dani says that this is the only knitworthy thing in it. Shame, but score for Tadpole! She really needs to get here so that I can put this on her, do you think it's possible to wear it out in the six months that it will fit her? We can try! And before we move on to the next knits, check out the back! Oh my goodness so cute! New Knitsmith, but older friend Kris got in on the knitting action too by making Tadpole some little baby socks... not just any little baby socks, but little baby socks out of our favorite sock yarn, Lorna's Laces! This definitely helps towards my goal of only putting hand knit socks on this little girl! So, the knit gifts were just overwhelming, people were getting ready to go, cake was about to be served, when Alison and Lisa said that there was one more. One more? How could there be? Well, you can read more of the story on Alison's blog, but a ton of my knitting friends got together to make the "Circle of Friends" baby blanket from "Last Minute Knitted Gifts". Apparently these blanket strips were mailed all over, were transfered slyly under the table at Knitsmiths (while I was there and oblivious), and all knit and returned to Alison in time to seam them all together by Saturday. The colors are beautiful, I tried to capture them as truely as possible in this dreary rain. They are perfectly girly without being too girly. The yarn, Cotton Stria, is SO SOFT! Tadpole will certainly spend a lot of time with this blanket of hers. Thank you to Alison, Dani, Lisa, Colleen, Dana, Terri, Melanie, Shannon, Shireen, Lauren, Cara, Gayle, Ariel, Norah, Peta, and all of the other knitters that I hear wanted to be involved but couldn't be for lack of time and strips. You guys are really amazing, I don't know how else to express our gratitude and the love that we feel. I wish you were all here so I could hug you each individually, but expect those hugs when you come over to meet Tadpole! Thank you!Knitting Friends Rock!
November 12 2006
So, time for true confessions... the reason I've been trying so hard to finish up some older WIPs is that I REALLY wanted to start on the "Nantucket Jacket" from the new Winter IK!
I ordered the yarn as an early birthday present to myself, and planned on picking up the magazine when it hit the shelves on Tuesday, but luckilly I have friends who are subscribers, and not one, but two of them brought a copy over to my home!
I got the yarn Friday, and after a bunch of other stuff I had to do to prepare for a little party we had here over the weekend (more on that Tuesday), I started late Friday night. I've had super minimal knitting time, but I'm knittin' right along. When Danielle posted about this sweater on her blog she sent me an email saying that I could finish it before the baby comes. I think that was a challenge! There are, of course, a million other things to do in the next 5 weeks, but hey, there's Thanksgiving in there too, and eventually I'll stop working. I think I can do it! Do you?Forget Finishing!
November 9 2006
So, when I said that I was trying to finish up projects around here, I wasn't kidding. When I said that there were some that you'd never heard of, yup, not kidding then either! This one has gotten my attention last night and tonight. I'm making this cutie little cow toy from Bouton d'Or Layette #15 for Tadpole. I started it the weekend we went to the wedding in Maine, and then haven't picked it up since. When I pulled out the bag last night I had the two head pieces made. I've made a bit of progress since, but look at those ends! I'll use most of them for sewing and stuff the rest inside! I'm mixing up the coloring a bit to work with my yarn (Lion Brand Microspun) better, but otherwise I'm following the pattern... well, following it as well as anyone can a Bouton d'Or pattern. Do you have experience with them? I've never hat one without an error, but they are so amazingly cute that I keep going back to them! Not for the faint of heart though. Off to bed, or off to knit an arm? We'll see!Moooooooo!
November 8 2006
Time to check in on the Double Knit-alongers! After Dani told me last week that she was definitely going to get started on her double knit hat she went to look for her needles and couldn't find them! Arg! Turns out they were acting as a stitch holder for a sweater... were those stitches put on a holder so the needles could be used? Of course not! It's okay though, it just allows her to keep changing her mind on colors for her/or Scott's hat! Kris got past the charted section in her hat this week, Yeah! ...there were some mistakes. Boo! She dropped back stitches (in a double knit hat remember) and fixed them. Yeah! Now it can be portable knitting. Good thing we've had a mild fall so far. The weather is waiting for her hat to be finished! Jenn ordered the yarn for her hat, recieved it, and doesn't like the color combo in person! ARG! It's so tough to order without seeing the yarn, and even if you do have the color card, it's still tough to know what whole balls will look like knit up together! Good luck trying again! Noolie loved my finished hat so much last week that she said she was going to cast on right away for hers... but then posted that she's sick of knitting hats and needs a hat break! Go on over there and guilt her into casting on! Any other updates out there? I'm not casting on for another hat at the moment. I have so many loose ends around here (some that have never been blogged about) so I'm going to try to clean them up before I start another hat for this little one... oh, and remember how I broke my needles, that's not making starting a new hat any easier either!Another Week, More Progress!
I have 14 skeins of Classic Elite Duchess Yarn that I've listed on Ebay (after offering it up here with the one taker backing out... twice!). I listed it at 50% off retail, but still it's not selling. The auction is up in 5 hours (3PM EST, 12noon PST), and still no bids! Please, go check it out... or, if it doesn't sell make me an offer. I need to clean out some stuff (major nesting), and I can't believe that this fabulous yarn doesn't have people fighting over it! Okay, enough whining, off to FINISH SOMETHING! Pictures will come after it's blocked.Doesn't Anyone Want This Fabulous Yarn?
November 7 2006
Next comes Yellow!Pink!
November 2 2006
I finished the double knit hat on the 11" 3s. I cast on for project number 2, of 3, that was planned for those needles, and very quickly broke them. ARG! What was that brutish project, you must be wondering... Flore from Knitwhits. Despite the needle breaking, I've perservered and now have the first two sections completed. This is a project that will need A LOT of blocking and tacking to look great, so this is the best picture you'll get for a while! Despite the needle breaking effort that is needed to do the increases in the pattern, I'm loving it and just racing through. Another cute hat for Tadpole is on the way!The Project That Broke My Needles
November 1 2006
The Double Knit-Alongers have been busy! Holly has started posting knitterly things on her old blog, so now we can see pictures of her hat in progress! Last week she commented that she hadn't started yet, but had finished the matching scarf, and now look at that progress! Way to go Holly! Another one with awesome progress is Cookie. Okay, forget about progress, she's done, with A WHOLE SCARF! She finished Exchequered from Knitty in no time flat. Wow, that's a complete 180 from being in time out a few weeks ago! Kris just posted her November goals, and finishing her snowflake hat is on the list. We can expect to see some progress soon I'm sure! Knitty Otter joined the KAL to finish up a double knit kitty blanket she was making. ...well, she's decided to start over with new colors! I can't imagine ripping out all of the progress she's made, but with all of that work, it's definitely worth it to be happy with your end product. Knit on Knitty Otter! Jen just posted her holiday knits list... will one of the hats be a double-knit one? Feel free to send pictures here if you can't post them on your blog! Finally I have some progress to show too! I finished Tadpole's hat! It definitely needs a good blocking (my tension on the inside layer is always looser than on the outside layer), but it will keep the cold away from this little one's ears in the middle of winter! I have some more yarn to make another one, greens and purple, but I think I'll hold off for a bit... especially because my needle broke right after finishing. ARG! Did I miss anyone? Leave a comment if you have something to share. Happy Knitting, double or not!Double Knit-Along Updates!
