A modest skein's worth of black boucle on the cone, swapped with soapfibergal, became this. Truly a swap and a RAK in one.
30 June 2005
A lovely little swap
Pics of the Guilt Fleece Cardigans, size 4 toddler
The children who were to be given these, girls and a boy, I'm remembering, are long past toddler. Someone is interested in at least one of them to finish herself, so I'm posting some pics. Photography will be what it will be. This is the jacket that's mostly finished. This one has the mitten print flannel and maroon flannel. Sleeves are not for knuckle-scrapers. They were meant to have cuffs, rolled back and tacked so the blanket stitched edge would be a few edges from the rolled edge. 
This is the back view. You can see where the blanket stitch ended. I think I was using a too-blunt needle for sake of a generous eye, and it bugged me. The appliques had enough webbed bonding to make stitching them a pain, and they're probably the real culprits. (Beyond life distracting me, of course...)
The 2nd navy jacket used a teal flannel and a flannel print with snow people and some sort of house. I seem to remember thinking this would be the LAST pocket with blanket stitch. The underarm/sideseam stretches haven't been machine stitched, as the applique was easier in flatter form.
Grey, same ideas. Switched mittens to combine with teal and snowmen with maroon. Pockets were stitched and turned, but some of the pockets are only pinned into place and haven't been stitched. None of the garment seams are stitched, but many are pinned, and I can leave them that way.
Above you see part of the the back and front of one of the grey cardigans. I prepared a couple extra solid flannel hearts, but I had decided to cut them from the original plan.
This is the back view. You can see where the blanket stitch ended. I think I was using a too-blunt needle for sake of a generous eye, and it bugged me. The appliques had enough webbed bonding to make stitching them a pain, and they're probably the real culprits. (Beyond life distracting me, of course...)
The 2nd navy jacket used a teal flannel and a flannel print with snow people and some sort of house. I seem to remember thinking this would be the LAST pocket with blanket stitch. The underarm/sideseam stretches haven't been machine stitched, as the applique was easier in flatter form.
Grey, same ideas. Switched mittens to combine with teal and snowmen with maroon. Pockets were stitched and turned, but some of the pockets are only pinned into place and haven't been stitched. None of the garment seams are stitched, but many are pinned, and I can leave them that way.
Above you see part of the the back and front of one of the grey cardigans. I prepared a couple extra solid flannel hearts, but I had decided to cut them from the original plan.
A June quilt
I'm getting a few things done this summer. Started and finished a quick, tied baby quilt for Baby Alexandra. Will be sending this along with a couple other goodies from the Gift Tub. Found two other things I can mail away. It's a fine thing when a baby gift which doesn't get sent off in a timely fashion can finally be sent away. (These are the gifts that aren't expected, of course.)
Knitty SP4 - Sleek & Classic, in Blacks and Whites
Meet the fine package, from left to right.
The Brunswick Patterns are a pamphlet I believe I coveted madly during the 70's. It's quite familiar, yet I don't have it with any of my knitting.
The Jack Frost sock patterns really are for two needles.At first glance, I thought it was a strange way to identify needle size. (Many of the first patterns are done on size 2's.)The patterns really do call for a pair, though. Fancy doing some seam stitching along the bottom of the foot and up through the back of the leg? Nor I. I think they'll be quite adaptable to knitting with dpn or circ. Lots of variety. I will be trying one soon.
The large black BagSmith Needle Case Portfolio was empty for about an hour. Once home and cats fed, the case was filled. You'll see below.
Sitting atop the needle case is a classy little tin of postcards - all reproduced vintage maps. I'll make great use of those. And I would be the sort to travel with the tin.
Below Ms. BagSmith is a handstitched notebook of natural toned ricepaper. Stunning. Is the fine SP a paper artist, to boot? She clearly has a fine eye.
The Brunswick Patterns are a pamphlet I believe I coveted madly during the 70's. It's quite familiar, yet I don't have it with any of my knitting.
The Jack Frost sock patterns really are for two needles.At first glance, I thought it was a strange way to identify needle size. (Many of the first patterns are done on size 2's.)The patterns really do call for a pair, though. Fancy doing some seam stitching along the bottom of the foot and up through the back of the leg? Nor I. I think they'll be quite adaptable to knitting with dpn or circ. Lots of variety. I will be trying one soon.
The large black BagSmith Needle Case Portfolio was empty for about an hour. Once home and cats fed, the case was filled. You'll see below.
Sitting atop the needle case is a classy little tin of postcards - all reproduced vintage maps. I'll make great use of those. And I would be the sort to travel with the tin.
Below Ms. BagSmith is a handstitched notebook of natural toned ricepaper. Stunning. Is the fine SP a paper artist, to boot? She clearly has a fine eye.
This was a wonderful set of treats. Really. The more I think about starting again to find, make, or find a substitute for the aran sweater pattern I've had in the wrong box for the last 6-10 years, I am convinced that the 10 year old pattern was chosen because it was a classic on the order of the one on the Brunswick pamphlet. I'm not kidding. I was not skilled enough in high school to have tackled it, but I would have wanted to in the worst way. Inspirations don't always happen from thin air, you know.
Fill 'er up
The bag closes like a portfolio or can hang open. I promptly filled the lower portion with dpns & bigger dpns, though the left sections are tall enough for 14" straights. Used the right pocket for cable needles and stitch holders, and you can see an inherited u-shaped cable needle getting ready to escape, having moved about during the grand photo shoot. To the right are snaps suited for holding circs (see the blue set tucked into the pocket that is behind the actual pouch/pocket with the accessories. "Is that the only circular needle?" the viewer might well ask.
29 June 2005
Chocolate Banana frozen pops
I have to report today's frozen treat experiment. My sp had sent a container of mexican chocolate. I decided to double the recommended choc. amount so they'd be extra fudge-a-licious.
Heated 2 c. milk (soy today, because I'm on a fridge emptying mission), added 8 wedges chocolate, whomped in blender. Changed clothes. Soothed minor scalds. Cleaned the complete mess I made when I forgot to take out the center of blender lid and hot steamy milk and choc bits exploded everywhere.
Chilled the hot choc. Returned chilled choc. milk (remember, doubled choc.) to blender with 2 frozen bananas. Poured into pop molds, yogurt containers, tiny solo sauce containers with lids until I ran out of mixture.
Even though I knew they wouldn't be ready until later, I ate one tiny sampler container after it'd been in the freezer for a couple hours. Semi-freddo something or other.
It was pretty knee-weakening. I can't wait to have one this evening. I will, however, change out of my white shirt before I eat it. I couldn't bear to have two sets of chocolate spattered garments in one day.
Heated 2 c. milk (soy today, because I'm on a fridge emptying mission), added 8 wedges chocolate, whomped in blender. Changed clothes. Soothed minor scalds. Cleaned the complete mess I made when I forgot to take out the center of blender lid and hot steamy milk and choc bits exploded everywhere.
Chilled the hot choc. Returned chilled choc. milk (remember, doubled choc.) to blender with 2 frozen bananas. Poured into pop molds, yogurt containers, tiny solo sauce containers with lids until I ran out of mixture.
Even though I knew they wouldn't be ready until later, I ate one tiny sampler container after it'd been in the freezer for a couple hours. Semi-freddo something or other.
It was pretty knee-weakening. I can't wait to have one this evening. I will, however, change out of my white shirt before I eat it. I couldn't bear to have two sets of chocolate spattered garments in one day.
27 June 2005
Ribs in the Round
Must admit, I was torn. I spent several hours Saturday leafing through every magazine and book on the shelves PLUS one more from the library to see what clever pattern inspiration I'd find (in the newly swatched gauge) beside just doing the big old ribbed pullover in Simply Beautiful Sweaters or whatever that book is. The search for something like that but naturally gave way to doing the first one in the first place.
I sorted out the sizing, convinced myself that sizing divided by gauge equalled fit I could stand. No more torn there than the usual angst about mid-life sizing.
I began on the whopping long straights, convinced that I wanted the consistency of thickness for the gauge, some old-fashioned aluminum clicking, yaddita-yaddita. Knit 4 inches of the Front (or the back) and one band of Peace Fleece turning into Noro. Lovely. Took a break and control freak set in. What would the irrepressibly random and slow color changing in the Noro do by the time I reached the Back (or the front)? More importantly, would I be able to stand it if I didn't LIKE the seam at the sides abrupt shift in colors, even if it is a multi-hued band of multi-hued plies?
Right. In the round it would be. Or could be. I could swap the old-fashioned aluminum for the 20-30 year old nylon circ. But wasn't there a hitch about ribs in the round?
Found E. Zimmerman, guru of round. No warnings there, but not much big old rib, either. I looked at the recent Bach socks, ribs listing ever so slightly. SO. Gave it a whirl.
Monday? It definitely lists. More so in the Peace fleece, which holds its own more than the wifty Noro. I'm deciding that I'll want to rethink this strategy on the next big old ribbed sweater, but I'll live with it for now. After a little tugging, the gauge is loose enough that the ribs square up a bit, so I'll warrant some blocking and some living, and voila. Fingers crossed.
I don't know what I think about the sleeves or the top of the sweater. I can think about that tomorrow.
I sorted out the sizing, convinced myself that sizing divided by gauge equalled fit I could stand. No more torn there than the usual angst about mid-life sizing.
I began on the whopping long straights, convinced that I wanted the consistency of thickness for the gauge, some old-fashioned aluminum clicking, yaddita-yaddita. Knit 4 inches of the Front (or the back) and one band of Peace Fleece turning into Noro. Lovely. Took a break and control freak set in. What would the irrepressibly random and slow color changing in the Noro do by the time I reached the Back (or the front)? More importantly, would I be able to stand it if I didn't LIKE the seam at the sides abrupt shift in colors, even if it is a multi-hued band of multi-hued plies?
Right. In the round it would be. Or could be. I could swap the old-fashioned aluminum for the 20-30 year old nylon circ. But wasn't there a hitch about ribs in the round?
Found E. Zimmerman, guru of round. No warnings there, but not much big old rib, either. I looked at the recent Bach socks, ribs listing ever so slightly. SO. Gave it a whirl.
Monday? It definitely lists. More so in the Peace fleece, which holds its own more than the wifty Noro. I'm deciding that I'll want to rethink this strategy on the next big old ribbed sweater, but I'll live with it for now. After a little tugging, the gauge is loose enough that the ribs square up a bit, so I'll warrant some blocking and some living, and voila. Fingers crossed.
I don't know what I think about the sleeves or the top of the sweater. I can think about that tomorrow.
20 June 2005
13 June 2005
Little steps to FO's
This morning I did a couple of those little things that seem to take no time when they've been done yet loom large when they're staring at you with that FINISH ME ALREADY glare.
I grafted the second toe. Bach socks dove into the drawer and kicked out three pairs of old wool socks (purchased) I'd been wearing for several winters over other socks despite the gaping holes I imagined I'd darn. I don't know why I thought kitchener would be so daunting. I may yet get the hang enough to do it without propping open the resource book for the visual aids.
Stitched on the i-cord and buttons for the boucle swing jacket. Must steam the seams which run up the top of the arm. (Fronts and back were knit up with half a sleeve. Shoulder seams run down the arms, underarm seams curve down to become side seams.) Hoping that the finished sweater will fling out a couple old cardigans which I just don't wear, what with my having aged out of them.
Must go run some life errands. Bank calls and laundry leers.
I grafted the second toe. Bach socks dove into the drawer and kicked out three pairs of old wool socks (purchased) I'd been wearing for several winters over other socks despite the gaping holes I imagined I'd darn. I don't know why I thought kitchener would be so daunting. I may yet get the hang enough to do it without propping open the resource book for the visual aids.
Stitched on the i-cord and buttons for the boucle swing jacket. Must steam the seams which run up the top of the arm. (Fronts and back were knit up with half a sleeve. Shoulder seams run down the arms, underarm seams curve down to become side seams.) Hoping that the finished sweater will fling out a couple old cardigans which I just don't wear, what with my having aged out of them.
Must go run some life errands. Bank calls and laundry leers.
10 June 2005
Summertime and knitter's away from the keyboard
I've been nicely productive, and I'm just not writing about it like a well-behaved knitting blogger. Photos've been taken, but it'll take me longer to download and post them than I want to spend on this Friday afternoon when I could be on my way home to my lovely productive trends.
I've finished the Bach socks, or will have once I graft the second toe. Imogene, the textiles cat, promptly claimed them by napping on them while I went to get the camera.
I wove the last ends into the black boucle swing jacket and finished the i-cord. Must sew on the buttonloop cord and the buttons and lightly block the seams.
Sailed away on Cambio, past the beading and onto the body.
Cut out a baby quilt for former students who had a daughter recently. Was going to use a few of the extra blocks for another student's baby but hesitated continuing last night and set up the stacks for sewing the first one.
Was saddened to learn today of the passing of her poor, early little boy, just this week. I can only imagine her grief.
Think I'll just go home. Sewing and knitting seem more appealing just now.
I've finished the Bach socks, or will have once I graft the second toe. Imogene, the textiles cat, promptly claimed them by napping on them while I went to get the camera.
I wove the last ends into the black boucle swing jacket and finished the i-cord. Must sew on the buttonloop cord and the buttons and lightly block the seams.
Sailed away on Cambio, past the beading and onto the body.
Cut out a baby quilt for former students who had a daughter recently. Was going to use a few of the extra blocks for another student's baby but hesitated continuing last night and set up the stacks for sewing the first one.
Was saddened to learn today of the passing of her poor, early little boy, just this week. I can only imagine her grief.
Think I'll just go home. Sewing and knitting seem more appealing just now.
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