Oh!MeSoCrafty

Sunshine and Shadows

2010-07-04T18:53:00.003-04:00

kind of sums up how things have been going lately. knitting moving along slowly--have two shawls in the works: another Evelyn A. Clark pattern and a second La Cumparsita. its all the brain can handle right now.

below are a few shots of the wonderful Ann wearing the Sunshine and Shadows Shawl. probably my quickest knit--only a week. and i probably could've finished it sooner if i spent more time on it. details:

pattern: Sunshine and Shadows in "Knitting Lace Triangles" by Evelyn A. Clark
yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze (barely 2 skeins)in colorway "Mist"
needles: Addi Turbo Lace US6

more to come soon...there's lots of things happening!

Finished Projects

2010-06-04T00:45:00.004-04:00

hopefully this is a better picture of the Elizabeth Zimmerman 100th Anniversary Pi Shawl. and yes, that is me.

and this is La Cumparsita.

Where Am I?

2010-06-01T15:50:00.006-04:00

so the knitting is trudging along...lots of little projects that fly away quickly. lack of a decent camera is an issue too. all the professional looking photos i see are pretty intimidating. all i have is my camera phone--such a shame when there's a photographer in the house--but i won't get into that here. anyhoo, here are a few things i've been up to:

Pattern: EZ 100th Anniversary Pi Shawl on Ravelry
yarn: Malabrigo Laceweight, colorway #152 Tiger Lily; 2.25 skeins
needles: Addi Lace US 6

detail of edging

approximately 3 weeks commuting/waiting time. Very simple, quick mindless knit. and very enjoyable. for the Elizabeth Zimmerman (EZ) fans, the appeal was the stitch pattern count 8-9-10 --her birthday!! i that that was pretty clever on the designer's part and a nice tribute. it was also my first time knitting with Malabrigo, which was also very nice. very soft, almost like cashmere. hopefully i'll have a person model it soon.

this next shawl is La Cumparsita also found on Ravelry Written by Marnie MacLean, la cumparsita is a form of tango. i really enjoyed the motion of the stitches while knitting this so its definitely named well!

yarn: KnitPicks Palette in Merlot Heather, approx 3 skeins
needles: crystal palace bamboo US7

detail of edging.

i recently treated myself to a birthday present by purchasing Sharon Miller's The Wedding Ring Shawl and The Princess Shawl. i've been eyeing these patterns for quite some time and finally decided to get them, as now, more than ever, completing even one will have significant meaning in my life right now. the service was quick and efficient and the patterns came with samples of their gossamer yarns--enough to make a swatch. funny that i should buy these when i have yet to attempt the Neiblings that i have.

i'm also working my way thru Evelyn A. Clark's Knitting Lace Triangles i think it's a really neat self study in understanding the fundamental elements of designing a triangular shawl.

so that's where i'm at.

Blogger Interrupted....

2010-02-23T16:32:00.003-05:00

seems life really gets in the way of blogging. i try. i really do try. but there are times when i don't think it really matters since there are some really great crafting blogs out there. anyhoo, no more promises...i'll blog when i can blog. besides, there are so many wonderful crafters out there, i don't think my bits are missed. :-)

there HAS been some knitting...most of the projects were gifted as soon as they came off the needles.

Pattern: Modern Log Cabin Blanket
yarn: teal/turqoise- Ultra Alpaca (doubled); all other colors Cascade Ecological Wool
needles: Addi Turbo size 8

i have 2 1/2 panels left--according to the pattern sequence they will be in the alpaca and light grey. this will be a comfort blanket for a friend who is battling cancer. i planned to have a flannel backing attached.

so yeah, that's what i'm working on now.

A Quickie

2009-08-26T11:33:00.002-04:00

pattern: Hermione Hearts Ron by Christy Aylesworth (free on Ravelry)
yarn: Rowan 4ply Soft (discontinued) in colorway "sooty"
needles: Crystal Palace US3 bamboo 16" circulars

the pattern is a replica of the hat worn by Hermione in the latest Harry Potter film. absolutely adorable and i think the finished crown is cuter than the original. the decreases form a lovely snowflake pattern. this was pretty lightweight--i may try doubling the yarn and using a US4 or 5 needle.

You Never Really Know

2009-08-25T15:09:00.004-04:00

who's paying attention. recent conversation...

Virginia (not her real name): what happened to your blog? there hasn't been anything there for some time now, and you've been knitting quite a bit.

me: well, i just haven't updated it in a while. you know, with this big project at work and all. besides, its not like anyone ever reads it--there are so many other committed bloggers out there.

Virginia: you should really update your blog! look at all these projects!!

me: i know, i know, but i usually end up giving them away before i can even take pictures. besides, my pics suck and its not like anyone ever reads it. its more for me anyway.

Virginia: (stern look)

me: okay.

so here we go again at keeping up the blog. when i left off, I hadn't put up a picture of the Mellon Shawl from Victorian Lace Today. as i lack any camera abilities (even tho i have a photographer in the house--quite shameful, isn't it?), the pics kinda suck, but they can always serve as proof that there's knitting going on...

Mellon Shawl

pattern: Mellon Shawl from "Victorian Lace Today"
yarn: Rowan's Kidsilk Haze; colorway Marmalade
needle: US6, edging US5

Anne M. at Knit+Stitch= Bliss in Bethesda, MD, was being uber sweet and showing this to one of her beginning knitting classes. if you're ever in the area, stop in--there are some truly amazing people there and i am so fortunate to know them.

Not pictured are:

--two La Cumparsita shawls.i loved the pattern so much i did one in the original color theme using Knit Picks Palette in "merlot" and the other in Palette's "verdant heather". i have yet to block either one as there is work being done at home and i just don't have the space. hopefully my blocking frame plans will happen soon.

--three pairs of socks in Knit Picks Felici sock yarn

--a lace christening blanket that i'm designing...still in the early stages.

--lots of laceweight spinning on my spindle. who knew spinning so thin would actually take TIME??????

--the Myrtle leaf shawl in progress. as its a gift for someone, i have broken my own rule about knitting with black. on size US1 its taking a bit of time--longer than i wish.

--granny square blanket. its a project for a customer. normally, i don't do any finishing but have started to branch out a bit more.

--Hermione Hearts Ron hat. Lovely Ravelry pattern that is a replica of the hat Hermione wears in the latest Harry Potter film.

--my persistent scrounging for Rowan 4ply Soft (i can't believe they discontinued it!!!!)

--hoards of hats that i am knitting for LoveThreads

and now that i've gone on about what pictures i don't have, let's go the pics i DO have. projects on the needles:

Nutmeg

pattern: Nutmeg from Berrocco's pattern book #288 for Blackstone Tweed
needles: US7

this is a new yarn that the shop is carrying. wool, angora, and mohair blend that makes for a softer than usual tweed. similar to Jo Sharp's Silkroad Tweed--without the silk and cashmere. almost finished with 4 inches of 3x2 ribbing before the real pattern starts

Sockhead hat

pattern: Sockhead Hat
needles: Addi Turbo US3
yarn: i have no earthly idea. given as a gift from D at the shop. supersoft!

yet another Ravelry pattern that i absolutely adore. i think its a great way to use up nice sock yarn that hasn't found a sock pattern. i've got some Claudia's and Koigu that i plan to use for this too.

Cold Mountain Shawl

Pattern: cold Mountain Shawl by Kieran Foley, Knitty
yarn: Jojoland Harmony; colorway Dark Pastels
needles: Addi Lace US3

very soothing knit. i did a provisional cast on as i didn't like the straight edging. there's a pattern from Victorian Lace today that i think compliments the shawl. the pic doesn't do the colors justice and this would look really nice in a variegated silk like Claudia's.

so Virginia, yes, i've been knitting. and yes, i've been really bad about blogging about it. and yes, i will try better.

oh yeah...thank you for letting me know you're out there.

Raha Scarf

2009-03-31T18:57:00.003-04:00

so i've had the Knitted Lace of Estonia book by Nancy Bush for about a month. spent quite a bit of time stroking it,reading it over and over. now i've cast on my first project--and instant gratification piece, the Raha Scarf on page 63.

pattern: Raha Scarf, "Knitted Lace of Estonia" by Nancy Bush
yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze (3 skeins) colorway, "Gold"
needles: Addi Turbo Lace size US4 (3.5mm)

i've made a few modifications: the original is done in a fingering weight yarn on size US4(3.5) needles. i'm using Rowan's Kidsilk Haze (KSH), on the same size needles and have doubled the pattern repeat. i thought i might need to double the KSH but so far, i like the way it looks. i'm a bit further along than in the picture.
i doubt i'll need all 3 skeins but i do like the color, and since doing the Mellon Shawl, i also enjoy knitting with KSH. i know, you haven't seen the Mellon Shawl, but you will soon.

i could see doing this pattern with or 4 repeats and a nice edging to get a shawl. i don't normally do scarves, but then again, who said i was normal?

i also got two goodies in the mail:

.5oz Italian Resin whorl spindle from Butterfly Girl Designs

.3oz Ethan Jacob spindle from Greensleeves Spindles

and yes, precious, i'm already spinning with them.

If There had been a 6th Spice Girl..

2009-03-30T16:08:00.007-04:00

...she would have been named Spinny Spice. "if you wanna be my roving, you gotta be really soft...be from indie dyers, and be extra lofty, yeah!" decked in an ultra-risky outfit of emmaculately carded tuffs of roving--strategically placed, of course. the heels of her platform shoes would be skillfully carved spindles that whorled everytime she kicked up her heels...

okay, i admit it. i've been scrounging like a crack addict for roving. i. am. addicted. and that's alright. in this case, the first step in healing is to get some. and get some i did:

4oz of Merino/Cashmere/Nylon from Woolarina in colorway Butterscotch. since my picture taking skills are below sub par, here's another one:

I think the color is a bit richer and true in this one. plus, you can see Woolarina's tag.

4oz of Merino/Silk in Lavender. Also as scrumptious.

There's a lovely lady at one of my LYS named Dietrick--i've mentioned her before. Well Dietrick loves cashmere. As wonderful as she is, i believe she just might sell us all up the river if it involved getting some good quality cashmere. Well now, i understand her. i can't stop holding the Butterscotch roving. it's an 80/10/10 blend, and is absolutely divine to the touch. i pet it and say "i'm saving you for something special precious, i've bought a special spindle for you precious, i'm going to spin you well my precious" and i'm hoping it believes me. there are spindles making their way to me but only one will touch this roving from beginning to end.

yeah, i know this is weird, but the fiber lovers out there get it.

Dizzy Yet?

2009-03-27T14:42:00.004-04:00

the Mellon Shawl is blocked and needs pics. the Shetland Tea Shawl is coming along--so much that i think i don't like the Madiera Diamond portion and am contemplating ripping out 15 rows of 574 stitches to do something different--eek! not that i'm afraid or anything...i ain't scared of no lace!

since the Homespun Yarn Party, i have been obsessed with spinning laceweight on my spindle. its all i can think about--finding the perfectly dyed roving, hoping to experiment with different scanning the internet for spindles carved by old men from woods the gods would covet, reading and reading and reading, drooling over Miss Alice Faye's absolutely stunning handspun yarn that she skillfully crafts into exquisite pieces of lace. if i can spin a smidge as well as what i've seen, then i'll be giddy.

everything i have learned so far, i have learned on my own...never been one for hand holding. of course, with wonderful crafters all over the internet, it makes learning so much easier. with that said, here's what i've been spinning along with the goat angora:

my photo skills are horrible but this is a pretty good representation of the colors. roving is from Hello Yarn 2-3oz bag of leftovers (feels like BFL but could be Corriedale)from Adrian Bizilia's dye club (i'm still on the waiting list to get in!)She's a wonderful fiber artist and is the person who introduced me to spinning. She was so kind to steer me towards really good sources to get me started.

here's what the roving looks spun up. i pre-drafted the roving into long strips, in keeping with the dye pattern. they look like this:

most of my learning has been from a SpinOff booklet on spindle spinning, so i think i focus more on results than technique.

as i've mentioned before, i'm a fairly thin spinner--anything above fingering weight and things get uneven and scary. in this pic, the needle is a size US1 just to show the thinness. i've ordered some lighter spindles--in the .4-.6oz range--one from Greensleeves and two from Butterfly Girl Designs and some roving from Woolarina. my mind says, "if i spin this thin now, imagine how much thinner it will be when the lighterweight spindles arrive?"

Mental note: Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival is coming up REAL soon!

along with the spinning and the knitting, i've been doing a lot of cooking--trying to come up with really good vegetarian dishes. dishes that will become staples in the home. in a forum that i participate in, we decided to have our own little Iron Chef competiton. the main ingredient? eggs. here's what i made:

Omelette with Roasted Vegetables, Carmalized Onions and Guyere Cheese

this is sort of a 'morning after' dish. its a great way to use up leftover veggies. for the meat eaters, try beef, pork, shrimp, lobster...for a vegan version, prepare as a tofu scramble with soy cheese.

Ingredients

3 eggs
buttermilk
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
herb de provence (blend of rosemary, thyme, marjoram)
1 small yellow onion
guyere cheese (can substitute swiss or provolone)
roasted vegetables--fennel bulbs (anise), red, yellow, green and orange bell peppers, baby potatoes (red or gold is fine)

Roasted Veggies

cut fennel bulb into quarters and all other veggies into 1-2inch chunks. place in mixing bowl and drizzle olive on veggies. liberally add herbs de provence, a bit of salt and peppers. you want to season well, but not over do it. toss until veggies are well coated with the oil and herbs. roast in oven at 350 degrees until tender.

Onion

slice one small onion and seperate rings. saute in olive oil and very lightly season with salt and pepper. cook until tender and golden brown. set aside.

Egg mixture

pretty self explanatory. beat eggs in mixing bowl and add a small splash or two of buttermilk. you don't want it too runny--just enough to add a bit of richness. pour mixture into nonstick pan. add roasted veggies and shredded cheese in center.

when done, add onions on top and enjoy!

Crowds and Fiber and Knitters, Oh My!

2009-03-16T09:06:00.004-04:00

this weekend, Sue and Diedrick--two wonderful ladies at Knit and Stitch = Bliss in Bethesda, MD--convinced me (as if i REALLY needed convincing)to ride out to Savage, MD to go to the second annual Homespun Yarn Party. the party was held in a large section in what looked like an old mill. a beautiful rustic building with LOADS of antique shops (of which we've vowed to make a second trip). but today it was all about the the fiber and the knitters. speaking of knitters, i got to meet the ABSOLUTELY delightful CiCi and CajTalk of the blog Sistahs That Knit. lots of indie dyers, some alpaca and sheep farmers, and lots of painted sock yarn. actually, most of the inventory there was sock yarn. me? since this was a last minute trip, i kept it simple and got two of each:

the colors are natural and the vendor had it listed as goat angora. it is absolutely scrumptious, and sooo soft. i've only spun dyed/painted Corriedale and Blue-faced Leicester wool, which is nice and pretty easy to spin. once i got home and got comfy, i started spinning right away and:

this is the dark roving. once spun, it has a lovely rustic look and you can see the variations of color in the fiber. i'm getting a solid single ply equivalent to a 2ply laceweight like Knitpicks Shadow. as i'm still a fairly new spinner, i plan to knit a single ply swatch and see how it looks. not sure if i will ply this. i may keep it as a singly ply because i really like the thickness i have now. if i ply it, it may be a little thicker than what i want--unless i pick up a lighter weight spindle to spin thinner. i spin pretty thin as it is...even with plying, i've only gotten heavy fingering to sport weight. once i try to spin thicker, i somehow lose consistency. go figger.

i've finished the edging on the Mellon Shawl and just need to block it. my focus will then be on finishing the Shetland Tea Shawl--i'm on round 13 of the Madeira Diamond chart--23 more rounds to go before the edging!

Mellon Shawl

2009-03-11T13:49:00.003-04:00

one of my current knitting projects is the Mellon Shawl from "Victorian Lace Today", a wonderful book that is a reinterpretation of several lace patterns from the 1890s. i've been plugging away at this shawl since Feb. 1--its not complicated at all, but the edging slowed me down a bit. but now i've picked up steam and here are a few in progress shots:

pattern: Mellon Shawl from "Victorian Lace Today"
yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze in "Marmalade"
needles: Addi Turbo lace size 6US for center, size 5US for edging
center panel--see the oops?

after turning the lower right corner

knitted on edge in progress

overall, this is a very easy knit. and any mistakes (first pic!!) were absolutely due to the knitter. i don't normally knit with mohair/silk blends, but really enjoyed knitting with the Kidsilk Haze. depending on how it blocks, right now, i could see using a slighty denser mohair blend. i used a size 6US needle for the body and size 5US for the border but think the mellons look a bit sparse right now. maybe a nice sproingy merino/alpaca blend. but i think i'll do a different border.

once this is completed, the only lace project i'll have is the Shetland Tea Shawl. i'm still gawking at the shawls in "Knitted Lace of Estonia". and fingers keep perusing "Heirloom Knitting". in my mind, both of those books require a bit of commitment on my part. there's also a sampler shawl in "Victorian Lace Today" that i've been eyeing. either way, i need to make up my mind soon as it's no good having only one think on my needles....

On Passing Time

2009-03-06T13:15:00.004-05:00

it's been quite some time since i've had the opportunity to blog. after the jury dury duty, so many things (life, Life, LIFE!!!) in between a new job, all that lovely history being made in DC, and lots of knitting, i think i've got things in order to get back into the swing of things.

the summer was pretty uneventful, other than following the campaign with the girlchild--her first election. at the beginning of the fall, both the girlchild and i have decided to have a vegetarian household. No one specific reason, but many different ones. the girlchild has never been much of a meat eater, i found i was finally able to lost weight and resolve some health issues by modifying my diet/lifestyle. i'll still be posting recipes and pics from time to time, but i doubt there will be posts/pics of mung beans, or seitan, or mycoprotein products. nor lectures about Paris Hilton and her puppies-as-accessories etc.

on the crafting front, after a major love affair with knitting all sorts of hats that were snatched up as soon as they came off of the needles, i am back to my knitting passion of l-a-c-e. i have two shawls on the needles right now: The Shetland Tea Shawl from "A Gathering of Lace" and The Melon Shawl from " Victorian Lace Today".
Pattern: Shetland Tea Shawl from "A Gathering of Lace"
yarn: Laneborgosesia/Baruffa Cashwool, 100% wool laceweight;red
needles: Addi Turbo lace size 3US 24in.

i'm also working on a set of swatches for an upcoming class i will be teaching at my LYS--Beginner Lace. this will be the third time that i've taught the class and i've enjoyed every moment. speaking of teaching/learning, i've acquired a few new lace books too. Nancy Bush's "Knitted Lace of Estonia" and Sharon Miller's "Heirloom Knitting". Next on the list is to get the two Ichida books that have Niebling-esque patterns.

now that things have calmed down a bit, i hope to contribute more online--especially since i appreciate all of the sharing from the online crafting community. plus, i just really miss some of y'all.

Duty is done

2008-07-30T17:52:00.002-04:00

i was SUPPOSED to be in grand jury duty. but, after expressing concern about being accessible to an immediate family member with a chronic illness, the judge had my service changed to petit juror (one day or one trial) and since i wasn't selected, i was promptly dismissed. good thing too because...DC COURT WILL TAKE YOUR KNITTING AND CROCHETING AWAY FROM YOU!!!!!!!! and this is after i called in advance to make sure i could take my knitting with me.

go figure. everyone i know does everything they can to avoid jury duty. i go, willing to serve and get sent home. oh well, i'm sure i'll get a summons in two year.

anyhoo, there are loads of pics to take and new projects happening. i do have one thing to show. i've been cooking again and THE thing is risotto. here's one i've done so far:

Risotto with Smoked Bacon and Peas

Ingredients
1 cup uncooked risotto

2 cups of unsalted chicken stock/broth

2 cups of water (optional)

approx 1 tablespoon of butter

approx 1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 finely chopped shallots

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

6-8 slices of smoked peppered bacon

grated parmesean cheese

Notes: bacon used in recipe purchased from a farmers' market. you want a smokey, cured, heavily seasoned meat. if substituting plain bacon, canadian bacon or pork cracklings, liberally season with coarsely crush black pepper
How to make Risotto with Smoked Bacon and Peas
Begin by cooking bacon on medium heat, draining the fat frequently. you want evenly browned, cripsy pieces. once cooked, drain bacon on paper towels. coarsely chop bacon into bits and set aside.

Drain any remaining grease from pan, leaving it lightly coated with grease and lovely bits of flavor from the bacon. Add shallots, a drizzle of olive oil and sautee until shallots become tender and clear. Add risotto, half of butter and sautee until shallots begin to carmalize and risotto starts to turn golden in color.

At this point, begin adding the broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing liquid to be absorb by the risotto before adding the next cup. when risotto is almost done, toss in peas, bacon, and any remaining butter.

[when using canned broth, I alternate with 1 cup of water the first time, 1 cup of broth the second, and a slightly diluted mix the third time I added liquid. I do this to cut down on the salt. If you are using a low-sodium or no-salt broth, then don't use water. for this, i used homemade unsalted chicken stock]

yes, i know, this is vegetarian, and i do apologize....but dayum this was sooooo good. i have a few more recipes that i'm working on...a mushroom risotto and a dessert one.

so until next time.

An Old Dog Learning New Tricks

2008-06-30T13:54:00.003-04:00

a few days ago, i posted this:
to show my progress on trying to knit two socks at once. well know its grown to this:

i'm currently working the gusset decreases. i wasn't sure how i felt about the technique--in the beginning it was fiddly and seemed to move slowly. but the idea that both socks would be finished was just to appealing. oh, and a bit of common sense helps too. once i realized that 3 inches on two socks was 6 inches on one--with one more sock to left to knit-my whole perspective changed. i found that my tension was a bit tighter (possibly compensating for the initial awkwardness) but i liked the knitted fabric at 10 sts per inch.

now, would i use this technique for colorwork? probably not right now. its still quite a bit awkward just keeping the two skeins of yarn from tangling--not that i had major problems--but i just can't see juggling all the different strands...at least not for the colorwork projects i want to try. the trickiest part for me was picking up the gusset stitches. i found that i had to reposition (i.e. knit and extra row on the turned heel in order to get in the right position to pick up the stitches according to the directions. other than that, not so bad. i can see doing mindless stockingnette socks in self-striping or variegated yarns, or possibly adding some cool Barbara Walker textured stitch patterns, or even some simple lace. its really about understanding the cable path. once you get that, its all kosher.

TGIF: Folklife Festival

2008-06-27T15:20:00.002-04:00

a few blogposts back, i mentioned that one of the obscure countries that i would like to visit one day is Bhutan. Surrounded by China, India, Bangledesh, and Nepal, its a landlocked nation that has managed to maintain it traditional ways. well, one of the country exhibits at the Festival is Bhutan (the others are Texas and NASA--i guess they consider themselves a country!!!) and i have been eagerly watching from my office window--seeing the tents go up and literally an entire village being built. on my lunch break, i took a stroll to the Festival and i must say i'm as giddy as a Japanese school girl at a Hello Kitty bling-bling sale!

with that said, here are a few pictures of what i saw--and i still need you to pay no mind to the poor photography. not only am i still learning but, you know, giddy, giddy school girl thing(lots of photos!):

outside view of a reconstructed Bhutanese buddhist temple

urn-like structure outside to the right of the temple entrance. the tent in the background was for one of the monastic arts.

detail of a series of carvings on outside temple walls

center of mural inside temple--it was very crowded. inside the temple there were monks chanting and playing instruments. i just didn't think it was appropriate to take their pictures while chanting.

left corner of mural wall

right corner of mural wall

alter inside temple with offerings of incense and fruit. at the right end of the alter was a monk who was placing strings around visitors necks.

mural on ceiling of temple. instead of getting a string, i was looking up...

considered a monastic craft, various sculptures all made of clay. Brother Dorji (not shown) was sitting to the left on the ground working on a large Buddha using nothing but some whittled sticks and a wooden mallet.

incense making

this is the tent that was located behind the temple urn. a monk is showing children how to weave yarn between sticks.

finished work of the stringing craft the monk was teaching

sand mandala--the monks were taking a break to eat

exhibit of high altitude medicinal herbs used in Bhutanese medicine. Sornam Dorjee is an actual Bhutanese physician and he was there explaining the various herbs and uses

all of the exhibits have actual Bhutanese citizens there to show you their craft and culture. this visit has just reinforced my desire to vist this country of the GNH--Gross National Happiness.

Sock It To Me

2008-06-25T14:29:00.004-04:00

so i've been on a sock kick recently....they're quick, and highly portable. i'm also teaching myself this technique:

pattern: basic 64-stitch sock pattern
yarn: KnitPicks Felici self striping sock yarn
colorway: Berries
needles: KnitPicks Harmony 47" fixed need, size 2.25mm/US1

knitting 2 socks at the same time--on one circular needle. i'm trying it to avoid "second sock syndrome". sometimes, especially when a new stitch pattern or technique is involved, once i've done the first one, the excitment is over. so to maintain productivity, i'm learning how to do both socks at the same time. so far, the only downside i'm seeing is that it slows me down a bit, normally, i'd be almost ready to do the heel flap and righ now, i'm only 2 inches into the actual leg. and manuevering the cord and trying not to get 2 balls of yarn twisted up is a bit of a nuisance--but not enough to make be stop. hopefully, as i get more comfortable with the technique, it will move a bit faster. of course, i'm getting 10 stitches to the inch versus 7 or 8 so that will make it go a bit slower too. this is how i normally do socks:

pattern: Spring Forward, Summer '08 issue of Knitty.com
yarn: Perchance to Knit superwash merino sock yarn
colorway: Nasturnums
needles: KnitPicks Harmony sock needles size 2.25mm/US1

that's 66 stitches divided amongst 4 needles, plus one to work with--5 needles. i'm also getting 10 stitches per inch on the sole of the sock. rest of the sock is done at the pattern gauge of 7.5 stitches per inch.

i am still plowing away on my lace projects--they're just too big for me to lugg on the commute, plus, i'm afraid something my happen to them. so for now, socks will be the major commute project for a while.

i also got some goodies recently:

Lyra, by Herbert Niebling

i've been wanting this pattern forever, but the obey-copyright person inside me said wait until you can get it legally. its been on ebay, going for up to $50-$60 bucks. Recently, Lacis.com recieved permission to reprint this uber famous lace pattern and is selling it for $7! it will definitely be a test of my knitting skills. so along with the pattern, i got:

Shetland Cobweb, 100% pashmina wool

its the real deal.....thread thin wool used to make those insane Shetland shawls. i purchased 2,000 yards. now all i need to do is get some size 0000 needles and i'll be good to go. i only have size 0 in my arsenal of all things thin.

and since i was in the buying mood, i also got these goodies from a local dyer, the Sanguine Gryphon:

Little Traveler Sock yarn, colorway: Venezuela, 560yds merino, 2 skeins

it is soft and squishy and the color is a more vibrant green-teal shade that goes from blue/green to teal to green/blue to black

Taiping DK, colorway: Terra cotta, 220yds cashmere, 1 skein

Taiping DK, colorway: Moss Green, 220yds cashmere, 1 skein

*ahem* CASHMERE.....hand dyed and affordable *squeeling like a schoolgirl* the green is a bit more olive than the pic but the terra cotta is just as lively and vibrant. i don't know what i'm going to make with them but.....CASHMERE!

tonight is Stitch n Bitch night in Dupont circle, so i'll get to oooh and ahhhh and giggle with my kind and get some knitting down.

next post will be about the sparklies....Fire Mountain Gems contest is coming up and i think i might enter....

TGIF: Outside of Crafting

2008-06-20T13:36:00.002-04:00

i've decided to reserve Fridays for anything but the crafting, so...on my lunch break today, i went here:

every Friday from June thru October, there's a Farmers' Market right accross the street from my office--the view is actually from my office window. as i've been back on the re-embrace vegetarianism kick, i decided to take advantage of the fresh local produce. this is what i came away with and spent well under $20 for the whole shebang:

2 pints of strawberries

2 pints of blueberries

3 pints of cherries--couldn't myself. they're sooooo sweet and juicy!

a bundle of Swiss chard--the vendor recommends sauteeing the chopped roots in salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil for 5 minutes, then toss in the coarsly chopped leaves and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. i'm gonna give it a try this weekend.

a whole bunch of green beans and yellow wax beans. the girlchild loves them, steamed, sauteed, any way possible.

and two bags of homemade kettle corn. its still a vegetable!

behind the trees in the pic of the Market are tents. those tents are for the Folk Life Festival that will be starting next week. one of the 'exhibits' is the country of Bhutan, and they are actually building a replica of a Buddhist temple from the country. Bhutan is one of those obscure, little known countries that is on my 'places to visit wishlist' one day, so i'm really excited about this year's festival. perhaps my photo taking skills will get better by then. ha!

Doin' the Duty

2008-06-17T12:18:00.003-04:00

10 years ago, my artistic self decided to move into the city. it was hip, it was cool, it put me in closer contact with the artistic community that i was part of, i was gonna buy a house, yadda, yadda. within 6 months of obtaining official residency--and updating my voter registration info--i got tagged with jury duty. not just once, but religiously every 2 years in the spring, i get my notification. on the 4th year, i asked about the frequency and was given the legal-ese blah, blah about how it was in accordance with the law etc. i said, i wasn't disputing the legality of it, just questioning the frequency. i was then told that there weren't enough 'qualified' residents in DC to serve, i.e. everyone is temporary or has a criminal background. now, i know LOTS of law abiding permanent residents, who are registered voters, who have never served. but like clockwork come April or May, I get notified to show up.

now don't get me wrong, i'm not complaining, i believe in doing my civic duty...its a privilege to participate in the spirit of our country's judicial system. and i haven't complained for 9 years, about getting my little 'petite juror' notice (serve 1 day or 1 trial--i NEVER get picked). but on the 10th anniversary of my $4 a day gig as a DC juror, why do i get this:

GRAND JURY

from July 28 through August 29. and entire month. and you know, for one brief moment, i wanted to complain, and then i read my notification: no call in, must show up everyday.....this is a friggin' vacation from the insanity that is my job. my biggest concern now is: what kind of project should i work on? i have a whole month of crafting i could do, and yes, i can knit in the DC courthouse (no metal).

the girlchild has suggested that i do a Pi shawl with a medieval theme. i have 2 of the Barbara Walker stitch pattern dictionaries and the 2nd volume has a cottage and a castle, along with flowers and trees. ive been looking at other patterns and may design a stole to work on. or continue making more socks:

pattern: "A Classic Sock Pattern" from Nancy Bush's Folk socks (64 stitch)
yarn: KnitPicks Felici (self striping yarn
colorway: Gelato
needles: KnitPicks Harmony sock needles; cuff 2.25mm/US1, leg 2.50mm/US1

here's a closup of the leg and stitches:

i really like the Harmony needles, (one of which can be seen in the jury summons pic)the stitch seem to be more even and clean and the tips are uber pointy which is great for starting circular lace pieces. matter of fact, i like them soooo much, that i'm getting their circulars so i can learn to do 2 socks at a time on 2 circular needles. just goes a bit faster. for my my non-knitting friends, here's what it looks like when i'm knitting the sock:

i had just finished turning the heel and was working on the gussest. i started out using 5 needles, went to 2 for the heel flap, and then 4 for the gusset, then back to 5 for the foot. lots of little pointy sticks...ensures no one bothers me on the train ride to work!

More WIPs

2008-06-16T15:17:00.003-04:00

my mind tells me, that if i blog about what i'm working on, then i'll be more accountable for completing the project--doesn't mean my mind is correct, but at least there's a record of it somewhere.

this sweater was supposed to be a baby gift for a special little baby girl in cyberspace. due to a few personal issues, it got put on the burner--and all it needs are sleeves and the neck and button band to finish it off. i'm knitting both sleeves at the same time, and am already halfway thru. oh, and lets not forget the cute flowers that go between the lace pattern below:

baby is now approx. 6 months old and may not fit this sweater. but since mommy has been sewing, i'm going to finish the sweater, with the hopes that she may know of another baby to give it to, or perhaps, she'll sew a doll that can wear the sweater. *hint, hint* that way, i can move on to another project for the baby. i'm thinking, it will still be a cardigan, and perhaps pearl buttons, just cus i'm that slow in getting them to mom.

another project that has been hanging around is this one:

i call it Posideon's Mistress. the focal bead is a faceted yellow opal and the large reddish stones are faceted sunstones. included in the mix are various pearls, fancy jasper, rutilated quartz, citrine, rose quartz, garnet, carnelian, and aquamarine. its a pretty substantial piece as far as the weight but its not quite done. so any tips would be helpful. now that i can make my own chain, i'm thinking i should do something more substantial like chainmaille.

the final project is for the girlchild--the Central Park Hoodie:

i got off to a great start and then things slowed down once the girlchild got sick, then got on medication, then started to gain a little weight. she's losing the weight now so we'll see. i'm sure it will still fit but she wanted it loose fitting. i've even gotten the sleeves done:

all that needs to be done is to finish the hood (the upper part of neck) set in the sleeves, then pick up the edge stitches to do the button band. now that its been warm i'm not sure i want to work on something as heavy as this--hence the lace projects.

Barefoot and in the Kitchen...

2008-06-16T13:12:00.003-04:00

....is how i spent a good part of the weekend. in an effort to live a healthy lifestyle, i've been moving back towards vegetarianism. i don't know if i'll make it all the way--i LOVE seafood-- but i could definitely do better. i got a bit 'happy' at the farmers' market recently and brought home zuchinni, yellow squash, leeks, various bell peppers, white mushrooms and portabello mushrooms with some sort of fantasmagorical-veggie-delight dish in mind. now, the problem with me getting excited about veggies is, i never quite use up what i buy. then i feel bad because of what has been wasted. so i came up with was pretty darn tasy and convenient way to get my veggies in and use them up too. i made a versatile veggie mix that's quick and easy.

first, i diced and seasoned the veggies with a lemon pepper marinade and sauteed them in olive oil.

then i tossed in some cooked, whole wheat pasta.

voila! top with gorgonzola cheese and enjoy.

its quick, easy, gourmet-ee, can be served hot or cold and is very filling. i only had one problem--i still had LOTS of veggies left. i had used left than half of each vegetable to make a dish that served 4 nicely. i could hear the veggies calling out to me...."don't waste us, pllllllleeeeeeeeeaaaaze don't waste us"

what's a girl to do? then it hit me(insert ding! here)

make a veggie base that i can adjust and mix with different things. season them and store the servings. now, i know i could cook them and freeze them, but the plan is th have the freshest veggies possible. so the rest of the veggies became this:
in a simple marinade of Ms.Dash, a pinch of kosher salt.

then it was divided up for different dishes adding things like:
seasoned and sauteed portabello mushrooms, and:

for the girlchild, lemon pepper marinated chicken

all of which goes nicely into:
whole wheat wraps, tossed with pasta, mixed greens, stir-fried and served with brown rice. adjust the mix to seasonal items or whatever you like. what's neat, is i can use the same veggies, but they never quite taste the same.

Unpacking, mistakes, and humility

2008-06-11T12:39:00.000-04:00

as i get settled into my little space here, i'll try my best to post photos of the projects i'm working on. matter o' fact, here's one that has me a bit stumped. it's originally a vintage doily pattern by Marianne Kinzel--Valentine Doily. it has a star-like center with a ring of hearts on mesh. i decided to take the Kinzel pattern and use the Elizabeth Zimmerman Pi theory to turn a 12-inch doily into a 72-inch shawl. i got thru the doily pattern with no problems. the doily pattern ended with 342 stitches so i increased to 350 and then k3 rounds (k=knit). i then plugged in the horseshoe lace pattern (Barbara Walker's First Treasury, pg.209) and got into 3 pattern repeats. somehow, on the final repeat, the stitches aren't adding up. i am short a stitch and can't find the mistake. i planed to do 3 pattern repeats and then do a proper increase round to 700 stitches and continue the pattern, but now, i'm sooooooo disgusted with myself (yeah, i left out the lifeline) that i can't bear to look at it right now. plus, tinking back will take quite some time with the Cashwool as its very clingy. so what looked like this:

is now sitting, untouched like this:

so i set it down and moved on to this:

and got up to 576 stitches with no lifeline, only to realize that i may have screwed up again. so i set it down to mull it over and started this:

which, ironically, is the exact same pattern, just in silk. i'm at 288 stitches, and yes, there is a mistake-but i can fix this one. just tink back one round and move my marker over one stitchthis is not a difficult pattern. i have learned that i'm just a difficult person. so i now beg the deities of knitting for forgiveness and i will sew in the lifeline right away.....i promise.

at this point, i am considering tinking back to the end of the doily pattern and starting over. i could just knit the whole thing over again (more like me) or i could let it taunt me, over and over.

Moving In Day

2008-06-10T14:00:00.001-04:00

i've decided that it's finally time to really start keeping track of my adventures in knitting, crocheting, spinning, beading, and wirework. my work is just....me. nothing more, nothing less. just an attempt to share.